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moiogiBpmc 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  M380 

(716)  872-4503 


4- 


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"<?)" 


1°  M:> 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/iCMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductlons  historiques 


1 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attemnted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  FeatjrtfS  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  ur.ique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


L'Institut  a  microfilme  ie  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  ete  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cat  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normala  de  filmage 
sont  indiquis  ci-dessous. 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couieur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


D 


D 
D 
D 

n 


Couverture  endommagde 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pelliculde 


□    Cover  title  missing/ 
Le  tit 


itre  de  couverture  manque 


Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bieue  ou  noirb) 


Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli^  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  filmies. 


□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  resstaurees  et/ou  pelliculees 

I    "y  Pages  discoioured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
I  v'    Pages  ddcolor^es,  tachet^es  ou  piquees 

□    Pages  detached/ 
Pages  detachees 

j    "j/Showthrough/ 
UlI    Transparence 

□    Quality  of  print  varHs/ 
Qualitd  indgale  de  {'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materii 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaira 

idition  available/ 
Edition  disponible 


pn    Includes  supplementary  material/ 

□    Only  edition  available/ 
Seule 


n 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc..  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totaiement  ou  partieilement 
obscurcicts  par  un  feuitlet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc..  cnt  iti  film^es  i  nouveau  de  facon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentaires; 

Pagination  as   follows:      20,   4,    [21] -84  p. 

Some  pages  are  closely  trimmed  and  some  text  has  been  lost. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  raux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


/                             III!                      '     ~> 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

IMetropolitan  Toronto  Library 
Canadian  History  Department 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'exemplaire  filmi  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
g6nArosit6  de: 

Metropolitan  Toronto  Library 
Canadian  History  Department 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  4t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film6.  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contest  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  papet  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustratad  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim^e  sont  film6s  en  commandant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmds  en  commanpant  par  la 
premi&re  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^-  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  ^^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  6tre 
film^s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  \ii  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  ulich6,  il  est  film6  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup§rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droits, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Las  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


I 

1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

S 

6 

f 


■i 


raaponT " 


OF  THE 


COMMITTEE 


\ 


OF  THE 


'^H 


liE^USE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES 


OP 


H^ASSACHUSETTS, 

ON  THE  8UBJEPT  OF 

IMFKJESSIEO  SEAMEN 


WITH  THE 


EVIDENCE  AND  DOCUMENTS 


ACCOMPANYWG  IT. 


SS=K 


PUBLISHED  BY  ORDER  OF  THE 

HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES. 


L.JJU 


r»".T» 


g: — a 


BOtTOK. 

T?TTgflFXli  AUD  CUTLIU.* -PRINTERS, 
1813. 


I    . 


Q&oS-j 


« 


I^BWI 


Cammonwealtli  of  Massacbuf^etts. 


In  Ihe  House  of  Beprestntfttives,  Feh.  6,  1^13. 

Whereas  the  President  in  ,his  Messa^  to  Congress^ 
has  made  known  to  the  people  of  the  United  States,  that  thp 
British  Orders  in  Council  have  been  repeale<!  **  in  such  a  man« 
iier  as  to  be  capable  of  explanations  rareting  the  views  of 
the  government"  of  the  United  States,  and  therefore  none  of 
ihe  alleged  causes  of  war  with  Great  iSritain  now  remain,  ex- 
cept the  claim  of  the  right  to  take  British  subjects  from  the 
jmercbant  ?hips  of  the  United  States  ; 

...  .And  whereas,  during  the  administrations  of  President 
Washington  and  President  Adams,  this  claim  of  Great  Britaim 
was  not  considered  as  a  reasonable  cause  of  >var ;  and  under 
the  administration  of  President  Jefferson,  the  government  of 
Great  Britain  did  eJer  io  make  an  arrangement  with  the  Uni- 
ted States  which  in  the  opinion  of  Messrs.  Monro<»  and  Pink- 
nev  their  Ministers,  pureed  this  subject  on  a  ground  that  was 
^*  both  honorable  and  advantageous  to  the  United  States,  and 
highly  favorable  to  their  interests/'  and  was  at  the  same  lime 
**  a  concession  which  had  never  been  before  made  ;"  and  it  is 
highly  probable  that  the  government  of  Great  Britairi  would 
still  be  willing  to  make  an  arrangement  on  this  subject  which 
should  be  alike  honorable  and  advantageous  to  the  y.  States  i 

And  whereas^  under  the  administration  of  F^esident 
MADISON,  when  the  arrangement  of  the  matters  in  contro- 
versy between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  was  made 
with  H  is  Britannic  Majesty's  Minister,  David  Montague 
Erskine,  Esq  the  impressment  of  seamen  was  not  considered 
ot  sutficient  importance  to  be  madea  conditioii  of  that  arrange- 
ment :  ° 

_  ^nd  whereas^  all  the  European  Powers  as  well  as  the  tJ 
States,  recognize  the  principle  that  their  subjects  and  citizens 
have  no  right  to  expatriate  themselves,  and  that  the  nation  has 
a  right  to  the  services  of  all  its  citizens,  especially  in  time  or 
war,  and  none  of  those  Powers  respect  the  Naturalization  Laws 
oi  the  others  so  far  as  io  admit  their  ©Deration  in  contrnvpn- 
tion  of  that  principle ;  and  it  is  manifestly  nnjust  for  a  neutral 
power  io  make  war  upon  one  nation  in  order  to  compel  it  to 
Tehnquish  a  principle  which  is  mainUin«d  by  the  <rthers  : 


V 

»«1  s,f  ^'■*""«'»f' "  « Ifce  duty  of  the  government  of  the  Unf- 
Kdhto^fo  protect  and  encourage  ^wimfon  Seamen,  and  to 
Mc^^efrpm  our  ships  the  numerous  foreign  seamen  Vo  are 
J«;pr    mg  our  own  citizens  of  their  naturkf  means  of  subsis- 

jtpves  ;doqsr  to  this  Comraonweallh,  and  this  Legislature  is 

orTi«  tr7.TR  ^.""^  S'"^  ^^ **'""*  ^"^^^  been  impressed 
Xr  *  f-  9  ?^  ^'^'^^"'  ^'^"^^  ^"^  *">^  other  power,  in  or- 
^"^ '  f,^^^'^^^^ry  information  may  be  ha(J  and  communiat- 
ted  to  the  government  of  the  United  States.  ' 

^f  To  f^^'ir^^^^r^'-  Pickering  of  Salem,  Mr.  TilUnghast, 
Of  Taunton,  Mr  Watson,  of  Belfast,  be  a  Committee  to  con! 
^flCT  and  report,  what  mcasqres  are  proper  to  be  taken  in  or- 
der  to  ascertain  the  number  of  the  SEAMEN  of  this  Common- 
wealth  impressed  or  taken  by  any  foreign  nation. 

or  Mr  Dean,  of  Uedhara,andMr.  Breed,  of  Lynn,  were 
an^rwards  add«ito  this  Committee,  before  theV  entered'upon 
the  duties  of  their  commission;  and  at  a  subsequent  day  of 
.the  session  a  part  of  His  Excellency's  message  was  also  refer- 
red  to  the  Committee,  who  on  the  26th  February,  made  the 
lollowing  Report :—  •'*    ^         "^ 


umh 
.J 


)fUieUnf. 
sn,  and  to 
;n  wjio  are 
of  subsis* 

ofthe  U. 
islature  is 
impressed 
er,  in  or« 
mmuniat- 

9- 

ilHngbasty 
ee  to  con- 
ken  in  or- 
Gommon* 

r'nn,  were 
!refl  upoii 
t  day  of 
iso  refer-i 
aade  tbe 


.>* 


.** 


1^ 


TH^  Committee  to  wliotn  was  inferred  so  much  of 
kis  Excellency's  Message  as  relates  to  the  subject  of 
protecting  in  the  merchant  ships  of  the  United  States  ' 
the  Seamen  oi'  Great  Britain,  against  the  claims  of 
that  government,  and  who  were  also  directed  to  report 
what  measures  are  proper  to  be  taken  in  order  to  as- 
certain the  number  of  Seamen  of  this  Commonwealth 
impressed  or  detained  by  any  foreign  nation,  beg  leave 
to  submit  the  following 

REPORT :  ^ 

Your  Committee  find,  from  the  Message  of  the  Pres- 
ident of  the  United  States  to  Congress,  that  the  prin- 
cipal alleged  causes  of  hostility  against  Great  Brit- 
a*iu  have  been  removed  by  the  repeal  of  the  British 
Orders  in  Council,  and  that  the  remaining  cause  of 
war  against  that  nation,  is  her  claim  of  the  right  to  im- 
press her  own  subjects  from  merchant  ships. 

Your  Committee,  while  they  have  seen  with  the 
highest  satisfaction  that  every  other  cause  of  hostilities 
is  thus  removed,  have  perceived  with  the  deepest  con- 
cern, that  the  blood  and  treasure  of  the  country  are 
»tiU  to  be  expended  in  the  prosecution  of  a  war,  the 
object  of  which  is  to  compel  Great  Britain  to  relin- 
quish a  principle  which  never  till  the  present  time, 
seems  to  have  been  considered  by  the  government  of 
the  United  States  as  a  necessary  cause  of  war. 

The  United  States,  it  is  ^aid,  ^^  engaged  in  the  war 
for  the  sole  purpose  of  vindicatinsj  their  rights  and  hon- 
or." It  therefore  becomes  a  deeply  interesting  en- 
quiry for  the  people  of  the  United  States  to  make, 
whether  their  rights  have  been  invaded,  and  tlieir  hon- 
or  insulted,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  demand  a  vindica- 
tion by  ^his  last  resort  of  a  sovereign  state.  If  it  should 
be  found  that  this  is  not  the  case,  but  that  the  princi- 
ple which  is  now  made  the  cause  of  the  war  against 
Ixrept  Britain,  hae.  been  recosrnized  and  nraetised  unon 
by  France  ^nd  other  powers,  without  being  consider- 
ed on  our  part  as  a  cause  of  war,  the  just  and  enlii^ht- 
©Eed  people,  of  Massachusetts,  as  well  as  of  tlie  other 


<!>. 


"»*jr" 


-Z^ZZt^::^:^^^  states  h„wevo.,  to 
of  eIecl«ri„K  vva     ha,  th,  It  ,'\'=''"'"""ed  the  power 

that  the  I..-^seI.?;ris  tffl  hi' n'"""  '".  "."?""'=•'' 
pinposeofcomnell  n-tl!!  ii:  •  P"'^<"'"'e(l  for  the, 
of  «r.>at  I  S  f'l  I  '«'""J'"^'"ne''tof  this  claim 
that  the  ne ,  rof  thi  r  "  '''■"' '"'"  "^"^  necessary 
Uuion  dSd  „  tl  ^7'n°»»'«al«',  a  portion  oithe 

to,  and  correctly  understa^iH  th! l.T"''^'''/  ?.'»""'' '»" 

try   ami  tJ  p  !!!  V    *•''*  '^^"''•■''  of  "ur  common  coun- 
MJ,  auti  tlie  essential  interests  of  the  e=ti7Pn«  nf  *k:- 

Commonwealth.     With  this  view  tleyhav"  found    t 

option  "i      ait  tv"  W"  ''"''^'?'^"'  ^»»<=''  in  their 
'pmion  «iii  satisfy  this  House  of  the  necessitv  „r  u 

iulnre  """^  ''"^  l"'^^'^"'  ««««!»■>  of  the  Legis- 

enalfe  them  to  t™  LTVr '"'!'''"  I'^^'^  '"ffl-^*"^"' '» 
..u.,o^e  they  had"  r^liJjL'nitri^.,*'-  *!' 

hopedt  have  CndTtr'  ^^   *''"''»« '  ''"'^  *S^ 
i-  «  »e  lound  in  those  Documents,  published 


n? 


link  it  ne. 
•  that  ob- 
•al  power 
le  uatioii^ 
Imt  others 

wevcr,  to 
le  power 
Limounce, 
1  for  the 
his  claim 
lecessary 
ion  ot'the 
burthen* 
quire  in- 
s  claim, 
h  hostil. 
ty  be  en- 
in  their 
uting  to 
B,  there, 
tely  and 
doing  it, 
st  result 
m coun- 
of  this 
bund  it 
lie  sub- 
in  their 
ty  of  a 
en  pos- 
Legis- 

in  the 
iient  to 
tber  of 
or  this 


..^^i. 


t  epulis 

sretary 
id  they 
)lished 


linder  the  authority  of  the  government,  satisfactory  i 
formation  on  this  point.  But  in  this  expectation  they 
have  been  entirely  disappointed ;  they  have  found  those 
reports  *  o  uncertain  and  erroneous,  that  they  could 
place  little  reliance  upon  them.  In  proof  of  this,  your 
Committee  beg  leave  to  offer  a  few  remarks  ;  and  such 
as  they  shall  make  will  chieily  arise  from  their  exam- 
ination of  the  last  of  those  reports,  dated  Jan.  i5, 1812. 

This  Report  contains  a  list  of  1557  applications  of 
men  represented  as  impresfied  ;  which,  with  the  ap- 
plications before  communicated  to  Congress,  am«sunt 
to  the  now  well-known  number  of  6057  (or,  as  it  is 
sometimes  called,  f)':Z57)  closes  of  British  impressments. 

The  first  general  remark  your  committee  have  to 
make  on  these  extraordinary  documents,  is  this,  that 
of  the  6057  cases,  many  hundreds  appear  to  be  duplu 

te  applications  ;  and  in  many   instances  the  same 

^.  is  reckoned  three  and  four  times,  and  in  some, 

aes.     And  these  repetitions  occur  not  only   in 

mes  of  real  persons,  but  also  in  the  names  of 

^x..^.,i8,  who,  by  the  evidence  of  native  inhabitants 

of  the  towns  to  which  they  are  alleged  to  belong,  were 

never  known  or  heard  of. 

Of  the  remaining  cases,  vast  numbers  are  all- 
together  destitute  of  the  particulars  of  the  places  of 
birth  or  residence,  &c.  of  the  seamen,  which  are  so  es- 
sential to  determine  the  fact  whether  the  applicants 
were  Americans,  or  not.  Of  the  1557  cases  contained 
in  the  Report  last  mentioned,  about  1S16  have  no  de- 
signation of  the  towns  and  states  to  which  the  seamen 
belonged,  the  time  and  place  of  impressment  &c.  and 
only  the  341  remaining  cases  are  accompanied  with 
these  particulars.  It  should  be  observed,  further,  that 
this  List  is  entitled  by  the  Secretary  of  State  *'  a  List 
of  American  Seamen  and  Citizens  who  have  been  im- 
pressed and  held  in  bondage  in  his  Britannic  Majesty's 
ships  of  war.''  &c.  T  his  very  title  is  caieuiated  to  mis- 
lead r  it  purports  to  be  a  list  of  persons  impressed  and 
held  on  board  British  ships ;  yet  in  many  of  the  cases 
it  appears  that  the  men  voluntarily  entered  into  the 
British  service  and  received  bounty  and  pay.     Th« 


VHB 


i!   ! 


ft 


I 


8 

number  of  cases  the  men  acknowledged  themselves 

Greats    T'. .'"*"""'  °''  ""''•   ^'''S"'   «" 
w  eat  Ui  I  (am.     t  uilher ;  many  of  the  men,  it  annears 

ine  seruce  of  the  enemies  of  Great  Britain.     8on-e 
thougl,  taken  h^mAnerican  merchant  ship-  were  The 

eS;,?  "'LP'"""-";''  <»•  f -'■  ■••■^"ons  at  wa,?  wirh  G^S 
-BiUain.     &ome  acknowiedsed  the  names  in  their  nro 

Sxrdwr  "■""•*'--«-' ""'- "-dS : 

lions  mat  did  not  correspon.i  with  their  persons    «  ,mp 
had  protections  that  were  for^-ed  or  altered     M^-^Tf 
the  seamen  were  taken  hom  English  merchant  M,! 
votXrlir^"""  '^  -^"'^  *''«'  ^""^  hadtTent?e^i 
Your  committee  will  make  but  one  other  remark  on 
these  Bocuments-The  Secretary  of  State,  Lhs  re 
'     17 v''  mentioned,  obser*es,  that  "there  s  Ifas„„ 
to  believe  that  no  precise  or  accurate  view  i    now  or 
ever  can  be  exhibited  of  the  names,  or  the  numbeT-  of 
our  seamen,  who  are  impressed  int^,  and  deWned  h, 
the  British  service,"  and  that « it  is  equally  Cpossr 

rite^rort  'ofTh"*  "'^""''''^^  '«*"™*  tolake^anC 
TI„»!?«!  ,     *'«'"''««»  «"•  number  of  citizens  of  the 

tYe  pif '^''  '^''•*  ^"'^  ^'^^  "onrelled  to  enter  into 

it'hoX  o?  fir""'  "■■  "'■"  ^"^^  '"  «*P»'*"y  ""der  the 
f^u   "  ^  '  government,  whether  taken  from  ves- 

n^lT".'*  ""  "■"   '"Sl»  «eas,  or  seized  in  rivers 
porl^  or  harbors  ;  the  names  of  a  few  only,  greatly  be 
ow  the  n«m!=e.  believed  to  be  so  detained,  bSwith' 

therefore  rtl^f'"   "'i  "^'l  "^P"^™"-'-     ^  ^«'^' ^ 
caJUf  iL  H„      ■"?« '  '''"'  '■«'''"'•=' '»  *'«  part  of  the 
Vir/   '?     '"•*®°'^**'P'"esentatives." 

SivTi^/i^tail-efTw/-/^'''''^  """«•"  '^  P-P-t» 

fold  a  ^'doW  1"  ,f//'^Y"'"P''^'*"'""''  «•"'  *»  «"h- 
uoitia    actaii    of /'rencA  impressments  or  detentions 

under  such  crcumslauees,  it  is  not  the  part  of  voup 
Committee  to  determine  P       ^    ^'^'^^ 

offiSlinLn^r'"""""  "  '"''  ""PV"''"^'  **t  these 
Sl1;r tr      **■«"•«  ^°  uncertain  and  unsatisfactory, 
that  little  reliance  could  be  placed  on  them.    It  be 
PfHPB  necessary,  therefore,  to  esort  to  other  e;idence- 


9 

and  none  appeared  to  your  CoiLJiittes,  to  promise  so 
satislactory  a  result  as  the  testimony  of  emiDent  merch- 
ants and  experienced  ship-masters  of  some  of  the  prin- 
cipal sea-poris  of  this  State  ;  mno,  who  from  their  pro- 
fessioiial,  as  well  as  local  knowledge,  mustbe  acquain- 
ted  With  the  cases  of  impressments   from  their  own 
vessels,  and   ilieir  own  towns.     Your  Committee  ac- 
cordingly, under  the  order  of  the  House,  authorising 
them  to  send   far  persons   and  papers,  summoned  a 
great  number  of  merchants  and  ship-masters,  without 
distinction   ,,  ;iarty,  from  Boston,  Salem,  Marblehead 
I'ertland  a..d  other  seaports,  which,  all  together  owned 
a  vast  proportion  of  the  whole  shipping  of  this  Common- 
\vt^aith.  1  hey  also  examined  some  of  the  Custom  House 
o^.cersrand  also  made  enquiries  of  experienced  oiiicers 
ol  the  Navy       The  united  testimony  of  these  witnesses, 
(waich   will  be  formed  in  the  depositions  hereto  mi- 
nexed,  numbered  from  1  to  51,  and  which  your  (3om. 
mittee  request,  may  be  considered  as  a  part  of  their 
report)  forms  a  body  of  evidence,  from  which  hi-hlv 
important,  and  interesting  results  have  been  obtained, 
some   of  which  your  Committee  beg  leave  here  to  of- 
ler  to  the  consideration  of  this  House. 

It  appears  from  the  depositions  of  the  merciiant-j 
Who  were  examined,  and  who  have  been  enffaered  in 
commerce  and  navigation  for  ten,  fifteen,  and  twenty 
years  past,  that  the  whole  number  of  seamen  they  have 
together  employed  upon  an  average  for  the  last  twelve 
or  tilteen  years  (deducujg  tne  period  of  the  embargo) 
amounts  to  about  1560,  annually—which  for  fifteen 
years  would  make  an  aggregate  of  23,400,  and  for 
twelve  years  would  make  an  aggregate  of  18.720,  sea- 
men, constantly  employed  duringthose  periods  respect- 

l?rf«^     tT.*"^^^^^***'^^   *^'«   aggregates    will   be 
^i,uou.    In  this  vast  number  of  seamen  thus  constantly 

employed  i»v  thpcp  wihio^«»c,  ,r .  t^^ -li      i     •' 

fr^,.LA\u     ^^1  ""^ -"v;^^^^,  jwui   v^uiimiiiiee  nave 

British     •    _  ^^'^S  "^ases   of  impressments   by  the 

American  seamen         -        .        .        12 
F  ceign  seamen  -        ,        .        23 


it 


If  - 


i!    'I 


I) 


«f  which  there  have  been  discharged,  as  follows,  viz 
Foreigners  discharged  -         •         6 

Americans  discharged  -        -        0 

do.       escaped       -         -         i- iq 

leaving,  of  the  12  Americans  impressed  as  above,  but 
one  who  has  not  returned.*  Such  was  the  result  of 
the  evidence  of  the  witnesses  in  respect  to  impress- 
ments from  among  the  seamen  in  their  employment. 

The  whole  number  of  impressments,  (excepting  the 
men  hereafter  mentioned  taken  in  British  ships  of  war  ^ 
that  were  testified  to  before  your  committee,  including 
not  only  cases  within  the  personal  knowledge  of  the  wit- 
nesses ;  but  also  cases  that  they  had  heard  of  from  the 
friends  of  the  impressed  seamen,  in  such  a  manner  as 
entitled  them  to  credit,  amounted,  with  the  foregoing  to 
9ne  hundred  and  forty  sev  n.  147 

Add  cases  of  supposed  impressments,  1 0 

_     ,    -,  .  .  Total 

By  the  British,  145 

By  the  French,  -  i\ 

By  the  Portuguese        -       1 

0\  the  whole  number,  there  were  Americans  107 

Louisianian      1 

Foreigners     47 

^„  ,    ^        .  Unknown        2 

Ut  ttie  Americans  there  were 

Discharged  on  application,  5 1 

Escaped,          -         .  9 

Entered,         -         -         ,  4 

Died,          -         ...  3 

Detained,         -                 ,  g 

Supposed  to  be  detained,  20 

No  account  given,       -  12 


157 


157 


157 


.#r., 


I 


To  the  above  add  the  cases  of  the  men  who  were  taken 
m  the  British  frigate  Guerriere,  (in  all  18,)  and  who  in. 

\  *  ^^^\\^  ^  sjAinan  who  was  impressed  from  the  ship  Hugh 
Jolmson,  Capt.  Blames,  in  1809,  at  Palermo  The  owner  (itfr. 
f  vaioii  Lonng,  ol  Bo>>.;m)  could  not  recoUect  the  maa's  iia««. 


I  follows,  viZi 
6 

9 

1 10     . 

as  above,  but 
the  result  of 
t  to  impress- 
aiployment. 
[excepting  the 
ships  of  war,) 
:tee,  including 
Ige  of  the  wit- 
rd  of  from  the 
I  a  manner  as 
;  foregoing,  to 

147 
10 


»tal 


157 


157 


157 


ms  107 
an  1 
•s  47 
^        2 

51 

9 

4 

3 

8 
20 
12 


107 

ho  were  taken 

(  and  who  in.. 

the  ship  Huffh 
he  owner  (Mr. 
lam's  naai(*. 


In- 
formed capt.  Hull  that  they  had  been  imf.^..   ^  .u 
total  will  then  be  175.*     ^  impressed,  the  su«i 

terJoT^hrV^K''  ^"  ""^^""^^  ^^^t  s^'ne  of  .he  mas 
ters  of  ships  had  been  to  sea  for  many  years  witfl; 
having  a  single  man  impressed;  and V .^^^^^^^^ 
masters  could  recollect  but  two  or  three  ^lif^       V  ^ 
Jtaro^n  vessels,  in  the  course  oU^T^^^!^,^ 

Your  committee  also  found,  that  in  the  practice  of  im 

few  in  number,  compa'rativXwVt'Le  bv  thrR  ^ 

noteasi^  S  " 'a^rd"i:n;r^2eS^^^ 
crnment.     Many  of  chesp  Vvr.Lr^   omcers  ot  the  gov- 

fied,  had  been  destroyed  bv  thp  PncfL     u      *'^t**sti- 
Specimensof  these  fo^^rS  wLexWbS^'  ''^'^'■ 

,  lecting  them"  these  I^„^^°  ^"'"V"  -"^^  P^«"'<=«  °f  col! 
!  the  hands  oT/or'^^'"^.^"'""'  ^'^'^  P"'  i"'" 
;  description  in  th^pr^ScSn  an^d T"?  '■"^'''*  ^"'^  ^''•^ 
"  sumed  the  name  of  thJ^       •        ',     foreigner  then  as- 

i  paper ;  and Tt'^omettstpl^e"^^^^^^^^^  "'  »'- 

•«.  who  had  procured  slSrotec'tion    '"''^'•f /"^^ign- 
»hey  were  to  take.  Protections,  forgot  the  name    • 

S'lch  are  some  of  the  facts  wti;,.lt% 

fore  your  committee  in  respect  tf^T  ^^^'^'f  ^• 
pressmerits.  ^       '°  *^  /rucftce  of  im- 

1,1  J°"^r!"J*'^.f'^^<=ted  their  attention.  i„  the  n.,. 
,,___,  .„  ....^.^„,,^,,  Oft  which  Great  Britain  "founds 


I 


losition 

respeoUnjf  this  ulaiis  VfoMM 


Davis'  Jettfit 


Ti 


h 


i% 


her  claim  of  impressing  her  seamen  from  merchant  ships. 
This  inquiry  appeared  to  involve  principally  the  foil  ow- 
ing considerations  : — Whether  France,  and  other  Euro- 
pean nations  recognize  and  practice  upon  the  same  prin- 
ciple ;  and  whether  the  government  of  the  United  States 
has  ever  made  it  a  cause  of  war  against  France  or  any 
other  nation  ; — what  measures  have  been  adopted  by  the 
United  States  under  the  former  and  present  administra- 
tions, in  respect  to  impressments  ; — what  offers  have 
^)een  made  on  the  part  of  Great  Britain  to  secure  to  the 
•United  States  the  practical  advantages  which  they  have 
^demanded,  without  2i  formal  relinquishment  of  the  prin- 
ciple contended  for  ; — -and  whether  the  magnitude  of  the 
injury  had  been  constantly  increasing  until  the  time  of 
the  declaration  of  war,  to  such  an  alarming  degree,  that 
"  forbearance  could  no  longer  be  justified." 
w  First,  then,  does  France,  as  well  as  other  nations,  re- 
cognize the  same  principle  which  is  contended  for  by 
Great  Britain  ? 

It  is  a  principle  acknowledged  in  all  governments  that 
allegiance  and  protection  are  reciprocal ;  and  that  every 
government  has  a  right  to  the  services  of  its  citizens  ; 
and  especially  that  no  citizen  has  a  right  to  leave  his 
country  in  time  ofxvar^  without  the  consent  of  his  own 
government.  This  principle  has  ever  been  recognized 
in  the  laws  of  this  Commonwealth  ;  and  during  our  rev- 
olutionary war  (the  only  occasion  till  now,  when  the 
United  States  have  been  under  the  necessity  of  enfor- 
cing this  rule)  was  rigourously  adhered  to  in  practice  ; 
and  your  committee  accordingly  find,  in  the  year  1779, 
a  solemn  legislative  declaration  of  Massachusetts,  that 
"  every  government  has  a  right  to  command  the  person- 
al services  of  all  its  members,  whenever  the  exigences 
of  the  state  shall  require  it,  especially  in  times  of  an  im- 
pending or  act!*?!  invasion ;  no  member  thereof  can  then 
withdraw  himself  from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  thereby  deprive  it  of  the  benefit  of  his  per- 
sonal services,  without  incurring  justly  the  forfeiture  of  all 
his  property,  rights  and  liberties,  hoiden  under  and  derived 
from  that  constitution  of  government  to  the  support  of 
which  he  hath  refused  to  afford  his  aid  and  assistance." 


I 

i 
I 


.    ii. 


merchant  ships. 
)ally  the  foiiovv- 
md  other  Euro- 
i  the  same  prin- 
ic  United  States 
France  or  any- 
adopted  by  the 
jent  administra- 
^hat  offers  have 
to  secure  to  the 
^^hich  they  have 
ent  of  the  prin- 
lagnitude  of  the 
mtil  the  time  of 
ng  degree,  that 

ther  nations,  re- 
)ntended  for  by 

)vemments  that 

and  that  every 
of  its  citizens ; 
ght  to  leave  his 
sent  of  his  own 
ecn  recognized 
during  our  rev- 
now,  when  the 
essity  of  enfor- 
to  in  practice  ; 

the  year  1779, 
•sachusetts,  that 
land  the  person-  | 

the  exigences  I 
:imes  of  an  im-  | 
:hereof  can  then  | 
of  the  govern-  f 
lefit  of  his  per-  I 
^  forfeiture  of  all  ■ 
ider  and  derived 

the  support  of 
id  assistance." 


Nor  does  this  principle  appear  to  be  inconsistent  with 
the  practice  of  naturalizing  foreigners,  when  the  legal 
effects  of  naturalization  are  properly  considered.  Whert 
a  state  naturalizes  a  foreigner,  it  binds  itself  to  protect 
him  so  long  as  he  renoiains  within  its^  jurisdiction.  If  he 
does  not  choose  to  remain  within  the  jurisdiction  of  his 
I  adopted  country,  but  will  place  himself  within  the  power 
of  the  government  of  his  ?iative  country,  by  going  withmits 
exclusive  jurisdiction,  or  within  a  jurisdiction  which  is 
common  to  his  native  and  adopted  country  as  in  mer- 
chants ships  on  the  ocean,  the  government  of  his  adopt- 
ed country  will  not  consider  itself  bound  to  follow  and 
protect  him. 

Your  committee  find,  that  France  for  a  century  and  a 
half  has  maintained  the  right  to  seize  her  own  seamen, 
in  time  of  war,  in  her  own  ports,  on  board  of  neutral 
vessels,  and  at  sea.  In  proof  of  this,  your  committee 
beg  leave  to  refer  to  the  French  laws  and  ordinances  on 
this  subject,  of  which  some  extracts  are  subjoined.  (See 
Documents,  No.  52.) 

Your  committee  will  here  ask  the  attention  of  this 
House  to  only  one  of  these  edicts  ;  that  of  the  8th  Ven- 
tose,  6th  year  of  the  French  Republic  (A.  D.  1799.) 
This  edict  declares— "that  all  English  Sailc's  on  board 
neutral  flags  in  the  ports  of  France  should  h^  arrested; 
and  every  man  who  spoke  the  English  language,  should 
be  considered  English,  unless  he  could  prove  by  authen- 
tic^ evidence  and  documents  that  he  was  an  American.''^ 

The  practice  of  France  appears  to  have  been  conform- 
able to  the  principle  of  these  laws,  as  will  be  seen  by  a 
reference  to  the  cases  of  impressments  contained  in  the 
documents  annexed.  (See  depositions,  Nos.  1,  14,  15. 
and\%,)  I 

It  being  undeniable  then,  that  France  has  long  main, 
tained  the  principle  in  question,  the  next  inquiry  of  your 
committee  was,  whether  this  claim  of  France  had  ever 
been  considered  by  the  government  of  the  United  States 


i  iicj-  uu  iioi  iiiia  inai  it  nas 


been  so  considered.  They  find  that  in  the  year  1800, 
the  United  States  concluded  a  treaty  with  France,  6n 
the  viirbus  subjects  in  eontroversy,  but  thev  do  not  find 


.3 


WiMMtotea 


11 


..f 


3vi 


4 


in  that  negociation,  any  demand  that  France  should  re, 

•     .» ^1"'  ^u^rf^  '^^'  *en.  »t  's  for  the  wisdom  of  the 

Sari  ^LY"'*^  ^r ^  ""i^^S^'  ^"^  far^trjust  or 
necessary,  that  a  neutral  power  shduld  prosecute  a  war 

agamst  one  of  the  belligerent  nations,  to  compe' chere 

ureltd^l^nTj'^f'/u"'"  .^""""i"^  was,  what  meas- 
S  ates  unS^?h.f°P  ^"^  by  thegovernmet  of  the  United 
iVrSnTrfl  fK°™'''"'**'^  P'"^*  administrations, 

;   0  the  appellation  Of  the  father  Of  his  country  the  0?^ 

hir^L  f  '  **  *"  *  '""'■^  vexatious  manner,  than  it 
has  been  for  years  past;    yet  Washington,   whoseTice 

of  aL  n?i^""  '•°"°'"'  '"^  "°*  l^"  sipassed  by  th« 
■  Lt7„f  i,-"""'="''°"'  «nd  whose  reaf  regard  for  the 
£er  MevedSr «^r'^T  ^vincediyhis  acts! 
eH   St»tti  •  *i^^    l'^'^'*  ^"'1  honors"  of  the  Unit 

ed  States    required  to  be  vindicated  by  a  waraeainst 

Sda^ta?esf  ""V"/""'^^''  relWSn  o      ^ 
coun  ™  T^."-    ^"''  ""'^  '''''  '^'^  affectionate 
S^?         .•■   ^  S""^'  commercal  and  navieatine 
States  charge  him  with  an  abandonment  of  that  r5?f 
because  he  did  not  resort  to  war,  in  order  to  compd  the 

enjoy  llie  benefit  of  a  /!.racftc«/ regard  to  the  true  int^r 
ests  of  the  sea-faring  citizens 

Ittthe  year  1794,  under  his  administration  the  United 

dSm,'£t'Tho5  1™  Klr"'^^'"^'"  °f '"^^ 
■sensihK- frit  u„,utj  •  , ^  °*  impressments  were 
f!"l'^'>  ''^'^  ''y  '•'P  United  States,  no  provision  w.n.  m..^. 
m  liiuc  ireaiv  dm  thp  ciiKi«««.  •  "" 


treaty  on  the  subject 


m  the  year  1796,  the  trovernment  of  the  United  Stntr^ 
hought  It  expedient  to  ^.ake  the  law  under     If. W^^^^ 


treuons.  as  they   are   usually   called 


under  which  pro- 
were   granted  to 


^ 


II  Wns  mnrlo 


15 

American  seamen;  but  this,  in  the  end  afforded  only  a 
parti^  remedy  for  the  mischief.  The  government  of 
the  United  States,  however,  having  a  conviction  of  the 
intrinsic  difficulties  of  tfie  subject,  and  placing  confiaence 
m  the  assurances  of  Great  Britain,  in  the  like  manner  as 
they  required  her  to  place  confidence  in  theirs  of  a  sincere 
desire  to  remedy  the  evil,  still  avoided  the  alternative  of 
war.  With  mutual  explanations  and  mutual  forbearance 
our  country  still  advanced  in  its  prosperous  career. 

The  practice  of  impressments  still  continued  to  be  a 
subject  of  complaint  and  negociation,  and  no  arrange- 
ment was  effected  until  the  year  1806.  This  important 
measure  demands  a  distinct  consideration. 

Your  committee  find,  that  in  that  year  Messrs.  Mon- 
roe  and  Pmkney,  who  had  been  appointed  by  President 
Jetterson,  ministers  to  the  court  of  Great  Britain  com 
menced  their  negociation  on  the  subject  of  impressments 
as  v/ell  as  the  other  subjects  in  controversy  betweer  the 
two  countries.     It  ^vas  proposed  by  tlie  British  commis- 
sioners, that  the  treaty  of  1794,  should  be  made  the  basis 
ot  the  negociation ;  but  this  proposal  was  not  acceded  to 
by  our  ministers.     ('See  M.  55  J 
^  It  appears  that  in  the  conferences,  the  British  commis- 
sioners  manifested  the  strongest  repugnance  to  ^/ormal 
renunciation  of  their  claim ;  but  proposed  as  a  substitute 
that  our  seamen  should  be  furnished  with  documents   the 
nature  and  form  of  which  should  be  settled  by  treaty  and 
that  these  documents  should  completely  protect  the  sea, 
men  ;  but  that  subject  to  such  protections,  Great  Brif-ihi 
\r^^   i  ""'^^'^  ^"^  imi^rf^^iis  her  own  seamen.   ^See 

It  also  appears  by  the  correspondence  of  our  minister.^* 
that  the  "temper  which  the  British  commissioners  brought^ 
into  the  negociation  corresponding  with  that  which  had 
been  manifested  towards  our  ministers  by  all  who  were 
m  official  stations,  as  well  as  by  the  public  in  i^cneral 

was  as  friendly  and  rcsnertful  in  n..^  «.^„« x".,.  _.i 

country,  as  could  be  desired."     ^'See  JVo,  54>J 
*u  f,*}^*'^sult  of  this  negociation  was  an  adjustment  of  all 
the  differences  between  the  two  countries.     The  impor 
tant  subject  of  impressments,  in  particular,  was  definitely 


*16 
is  subjoined  to  this  report— /^^^^^  JVo,  55  J 

By  this  paper,  as  it  was  distinctly  understood  and  ex- 
plained  by  the  parties,  Messrs.  Monroe  and  Pinkney  ex- 
.  pess  their  conviction  that  the  subject  of  impressments 
IS  placed  almost,  if  not  altogether,  on  as  good  a  footing 
as  they  should  have  done,  had  the  project  which  they 
themselves  had  oJOTered  to  the  British  government,  been 
adopted,     r  See  No.  56  J  \ 

And  they  were  further  of  opifiion,  that  the  ground  on 
which  the  subject  was  thus  placed,  was  both  "honorable 
and  advantageous  to  the  United  States,''  and  that  it  con- 
tamed  a  concession  never  before  made  by  Great  Britain 
which  was  highly  favorable  to  our  interests.  rSee  JVol 
57»J 

Such  appears  to  have  been  the  disposition  of  Great 
Britain,  and  such  was  the  arrangement  made  on  this  dif- 
ficult  and  important  subject.  This  adjustment,  how- 
ever advantageous  as  it  seems  to  have  been  in  the  opin- 
ion of  our  ministers,  your  committee  find,  was  rejected 
by  our  government.  Why  it  was  thus  rejected,  it  is  not 
the  part  of  your  committee  to  intimate  ;  the  enlightened 
people  of  this  Commonwealth,  happily,  are  able  to  judee 
and  will  judge  for  themselves.  ' 

From  this  time,  the  practice  cf  impressment  was 
net  wholly  abandoned  by  Great  Britain  ;   but  from 
the  year  1807?    it  appears  to  have  been  gradually 
lessening.      So  inconsiderable  a  grievance,  indeed, 
did  it  appear  to  be  in  the  year  1809,  that  when  a  setl 
tlement  of  our  differences   with  Great  Britain  was 
made  with  the  British  minister,  Mr.  Erskine,  the  im- 
pressment of  our  seamen  was  not  made  a  condition  of 
the  arrangement ;  hut  (the  affair  of  the   Chesapeake 
frigate  being  adjusted)  upon  the  repeal  of  the  Orders 
m   Council  only,  the  intercourse  between  the  two 
countries  was  renewed. 

This  arrangement,  it  is  well  known  was  not.carri, 
ed  into  effect,  and  the  intercourse  with  Great  Britain 

ment  of  the  United  States  did  not  appear  to  consider 
he  suhjectof  impressments  as  an  obstacle  to  a  renew, 
ftl  of  the  intercourse,  much  less  as  a  necessarj^  cause 


J 

irstood  and  ex- 
id  Pinknty  ex- 
impressments 
good  a  footing 
ect  which  they 
ernment,  been 

the  ground  on 
)th  "honorable 
id  that  it  con- 
Great  Britain, 
s.      C  See  No. 

ition  of  Great 
3e  on  this  dif- 
istnient,  how- 
1  in  the  opin- 
was  rejected 
icted,  it  is  not 
le  enlightened 
able  to  judge, 


essmeiit  was 
n  ;   but  from 
M  gradually 
ice,  indeed, 
t  when  a  setl 
Britain  was 
nne,  theim- 
condition  of 
Chesapeake 
'  the  Orders 
en  the  two 

IS  not  carri- 
reatJBritain 
lie  ijrovern- 
to  consider 
to  a  renew- 
ssary  cause 


*  17 

of  war.  For  in  the  month  of  July,  1811,  (about  elev- 
en months  before  the  war)  the  Secretary  of  S  tate  in- 
formed the  British  minister  (Mr.  Foster)  that  should 
the  revocation  of  the  blockade  of  May,  1806,  be  fol- 
lowed  by  a  revocation  of  the  Orders  in  Council,  he 
was  authorised  to  say  that  it  would  produce  an  imme- 
diate  renewal  of  the  intercourse  between  the  two 
countries — and  the  subject  of  impressments  is  not 
brought  into  view  as  a  condition  of  such  renewal. — 
(See  No.  58.) 

From  that  period  to  the  declaration  of  war,  on  the 
17th  June,  1813,  your  committee  feel  warranted  in 
saying,  that  impressments  had  not  frequently  occur- 
red— tlio  Biitish  Government  had  continued  to  give 
the  strictest  orders  to  their  commanders,  not  to  mo- 
lest American  seamen  ;  and  the  British  minister,  Mr. 
Foster,  had  requested  our  Government  to  furnish  him 
with  the  names  of  the  impressed  Americans,  that 
measures  might  be  taken  for  their  immediate  dis- 
charge. And  at  the  period  of  the  declaration  of  war,' 
so  far  was  it  from  being  the  case,  "  that  forbearance 
could  no  longer  l)e  justified,"  that  only  a  fortnight  be- 
fore the  war,  the  British  minister  had  again  informed 
the  Secretary  of  State,  that  the  government  of  Great 
Britain  would  continue  to  give  the  most  positive  or- 
ders against  the  detentions  of  American  citizens. 

(See  Mr.  Foster's  letter  of  June  1,  1813,  to  Mr.  Mon- 
roe— No.  59.) 

Under  sucJi  extraordinary  circumstances  has  the 
present  occasion  been  seized  upon  to  involve  the  U- 
nited  States  in  war.  But  though  our  natural  ^^re- 
sources arc  abundant,  though  our  people  are  brave 
and  virtuous,  and  their  spirit  unbroken,"  yet  unless 
they  know  it  to  be  a  war  in  whi<li  they  can  conlident- 
ly  ^^  rely  upon  the  aid  of  Heaven''  they  will  not  think 
it  necessary  to  embark  their  lives  and  fortunes  in  the 
Drosecution  of  it. 

Your  committee,  therefore,  upon  the  whole  view  of 
the  subject,  in  discharge  of  their  commission  begleave^ 
ip  submit  the  following  Resolve. 


,  18  .' 

COMMONWEALTH  OF  MASSACHUSETTS. 

RESOLVED,  that  the  Selectmen  and  Assessors 

JL-.n....„  .0  a=„icrtain  xne  number  of  seamen  of  their 
respective  towns,  districts  and  plantation"  who  have 

BritBin"'!?"'   ""'"  impressed,  V  detained!;  Great 
Britain,.  France  or  any  foreign  power,  and  forthwith 

mnnw  ',*^*"™'  ^I""''"^  *"  the  Secreta^of  £  CoS 

Iv.  *i^  T  .  ^S'"J'"'  **  **^"'  next  session  to  be  holden 

Krnsla^l"?'"^.."'  ^''^  '"^^'-     ^nd  the  IS 
aTd  shall  «r,i   T*r  *•;?  '''""^*  "f  "^ll  «»ch  Seamen, 

dtizeSs  of  1/k  ^'^  *l!y  '■••'"''t'^e  »>•  naturalized 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  or  foreisn  subiects  • 

andin  the  cases  of  native  citizens  shall  dlsiStl,; 

town,  county  and  state  in  which  they  were  h^r„f  anj 

hVcoSrt  ^  "r  '"''r'^'''^  '^^^'  ^hXeTignate 
the  Court  or  County,  in  which,  and  the  time  when 

*  they  were  naturalized,  and  of  what  forekn  Iwer 
eign  subjects  shall  designate  the  foreign  power  whoso 

tftawSr-  .    n"'  '"/"  *'«'   -sraforlsaid 
tne  sairt  returns  shall  so  far  as  the   same  mav  bo 

ascertained,    state  the  time  when   and  The  ^*ssels 

and  their  masters,  from  which  such   seamen   were 

vessels    belonged;    and  also   the  vessels  and   fl.pi,. 
commanders    by  which  they  wei-o  impr    sed  ortk 
en,  and  also  the  names  of  the  foreign  power  to  whkh 

tSsLte^Jheth';"^'''!-     ^"-^  ^•''-^  rctuJrstall 
also  state  whether  sue'    seamen  had  protections  with 

wr/7''r""rP''f  *"*  "'•t'^''''"'  ""d  whether  a"y,  and 
what  application  has  been  made  for  their  dischars" 

the  dttCf  "  "'^"'=''  "PP"f '^«'"''  -•>  «1-  in  -"  ol 
me  aeatli  oi  anv  spamnn    oi.oii  „*„* i.n       .      ,.   , 

ill  iv,.^  „      •        *i»  .\~  —""5  "ijiiit  swivu  wiiciner  ue  died 
ed  hL  'T  f.*''!  ""^'ion  that  impressed  or  detafn 

t'ons  fmm  ».?i V"  *'•"'''  *'"'»^'  ^'^'""^  -^n*!  Planta- 

taken  th^  Hf  ""  ""'?'^"  ''"^^  """^n  impressed  or 

^^en^^electmen  and  assessors  shall  in  1  ike  man- 


ITSETTS. 
lb.  24,  1812. 

and  Assessors 
itations  m  this 
are  required, 
eamen  of  their 
ans,  who  have 
ined  by  Great 
and  forthwith 
r  of  this  Com- 
be laid  before 
to  be  holden 
And  the  said 
Such  Seamen, 
)r  naturalized 
5ign  subjects ; 
[lesignate  the 
5re  born ;  and 
lall  designate 
3  time  when> 
)reign  power 
cases  of  for- 
power  whose 
es  aforesaid, 
imc  may  be 
the   vessels 
eamen   were 
which   such 
s  and   their 
ssed  or  tak- 
^^er  to  which 
•eturns  shall 
ections  with 
ber  any,  and 
r  discharge, 
o  in  case  of 
iier  he  died 
d  or  detain- 
and  planta- 
ipressed  or 
n  1  ike  man- 


19 

And  the  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  shall 
forthwiHi  transmit  copies  of  this  Resolve,  together 
with  blank  forms  of  Returns  prepared  in  conformity 
thereto,  to  the  selectmen  and  assessors  aforesaid,  who 
are  hereby  directed  to.  publish  this  Resolve  in  the 
several  newspapers  printed  in  their  respective  towns 
districts  and  plantations. 


EVIDENCE 

Before  the  Committee  on  Impressments. 

THE  DEPOSITIONS  OF 

1  Capt.  Isaac  C'ark,  of  Brewster 

I  Capt.  John  Eldridge,  of  Yarmouth, 

A  ^ir      J?*'^«o"s,  Esq.  of  Boston,  Merchant, 

frV."!-r^''^«"«>  Esq.  of  Boston,  do. 

5  Caleb  Loring,  Esq.  of      do.  do. 

6  Capt.  John  Holland,  of  do.  do 
I  Jl^ses  Townscid,  Esq.  of  Salem,      do! 

8  Mr  Wm.  W  Oliver,  Deputy  Collector  of  Salem, 
10  fe?^  P««»^o^'y»  Esq.  of  Salem,    Merchant,        ' 

10  Nathan  Felton,  Esq.  of  Danvers, 

11  Samuel  Page,  Esq.  of  Danvers, 

j!  n^Pf-i^'^P^!  ^"^^g^»  or  Lynn, 
U  Capt  Zachariah  Atwell,  ot  Lynn, 
if  J^apt.  Andrew  Harraden,  of  Salem, 
i5  Capt.  Josiah  Orne,  of  do 

7  m''  £^^^*^^^'«1  "oopc'-.of  Marbiehead.  Merchant, 
;I  ^^'  ^e"J^'»'««n  T.  Reed,  of         do.  do 

l^9^^^^'P^'^^Goodmn,oi  do.  ^ 

o?  f '^°^^^«  Lyman,  Esq.  do.  do 

21  James  Perkins,  Esq.  do  do* 

2|  Thomas  H.  Pekins,  Esq.  do  do' 

S  Hnri^T"^'  M^;  t^^^^S"'  ^"«  «f  ^he  Committee] 
£»c  ri  I   »  ■   "^r   "■--"^"»  ^-4«  ijiiu«;€waief. 
25  Col.  John  Thomas,  of  Kingston,  ^  ' 

It  r^*?-  ??"' J^^-  Salem,  Merchant, 
27  Capt  John  Tucker,  of  Gloucester, 

S  feV'^^'n^*  P^^^^'""^^""*^' Merchant, 

29  Hon.  Wm.  Davis,  Esq.  Plymouth,  ' 

30  Hon.  Israel  Thorndike   Ra.t.         -  ' 


* 


i:    i, 


•'f 


I 


^\  Josiali  Waters,  Esq.  Boston, 

38  Mr.  Edward  Lander,  Salem,  Merciianfy 

m  Capt.  Wm.  Story,  Marblehead, 

34  Capt.  Wra.  Crabfree,  Portland, 

35  Otis  Little,  Esq.  Castine,  Merchant, 
^  Mr.  Wm.  Parker,  Boston,  Mariner, 

37  C'ommodore  liainbrid^e, 

38  AsaT.  JSewhall,  Esq.  Lynn, 

2^^  Thomas  IL  Tobcy,  Esq.  Sandwich, 

40  Mr.  Charles  Durant,  Roxi)ury, 

41  Capt.  Wm.  Sturgis,  Boston," 

42  I^aac  Hull,  Esq.  ol  the  Navy, 

43  Certificate  from  Hon.  Jolm  Davis,  Esq.  District  Judge, 

44  Mr.  Lawson  Carrol,  of  Boston, 

45  Mr.  C.  W.  Williams,  of  Wells, 

46  Capt.  Lemuel  Walker,  Litchfield 

47  Enoch  Preble,  Esq.  Portia ruU  Merchant, 

48  Hon.  Matthew  Brid«rc,  Esq.  Charlestown,  Merchant/ 

49  John  Hewes,  Mariner, 

50  Letter  from  Commodore  Jiainbridge, 

b\  Barnabas  Hedge,  Jr.  Esq,  Plymouth,  Merchant. 


The  follomn^  Witnesses  were  also  summiyned,  hut  did 

not  testify  ;— . 

William  Raymond  Lee,  Esq.  Collector  of  Salem,  absent  by 
indisposition. 

Joseph  Wilson,  Esq.  Collector  of  Marblehead,  did  not 
attend. 

Henry  A.  S.  Dearborn,  Esq.  Collector  of  Boston,  absent  at 
Albany. 

Hon.  Wm.  Bartletl,  Esq.  Newburyport,  did  not  attend. 

Moses  iipwn,  Esq.  do.  absent  by  indisposition. 

Hon.  W^aniin  W.  Crowninshield,  Esq.  Salem,  appeared 
before  the  Committee,  but  declined  testifying. 

Commodore  Rodgers  appeared,  and  informed  the  Commit- 
tee that  he  would  make  a  communication  to  them  in  writing, 
Avhich  they  have  not  yet  received. 

February  25,  1813. 


I 


Hon,  Mr.  LLOYD'S  Letter, 


ON  IMPRESSMENTS. 


District  Judge, 


,  Merchant, 


ercliant. 


loiicdy  hut  did 

ilern,  absent  by 

head,  did  not 

)ston,  absent  at 

I  not  ullend. 
ion.     %^ 
ilein,  appeared 

d  the  Com  mi  t- 
;m  in  writing"! 


THE  following  letter  from  the  Hon.  Mr.  Lloyd,  our  Senator 
in  Congress,  on  the  subject  of  the  impressment  of  our  sea-? 
men,  is  deserving  of  an  attentive  perusal  by  every  man  who 
values  the  opinions  of  intelligent  and  upright  firactical  men, 
more  than  the  idle  babble  of  cishonest  theoretical  polidcians. 
The  testimony  of  Mr.  Lloyd  woi^ld  have  been  an  important 
siddition  to  the  body  of  evidence,  on  which  the  late  Report  of 
the  Committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives  was  founded. 
But  though  it  does  not  form  a  part  of  that  evidence,  yset  the 
publick  now  have  the  benefit  of  it,  and  in  language  more 
animated  and  interesting  than  would  have  been  consistent 
with  the  legal  formality  of  a  deposition.     Mr.  Lloyd  justly 
observes,  that  **  Great  Britain  expressly  dtisclaims  the  right 
to  impress  into  her  service  bona  fide   AjMERICANS.** 
For  what  then  are  we  involved  in  a  war  yf'wh  l^er  I    For 
nothing  more  nor  less  than  this— to  protect  her  seamen  ill 
our  ships,  and  thus  encourage  th^m  to  enter  on  board  our 
ships,  and  take  the  bread  out  of  the  mouths  of  our  own  sea-. 


men 


I 


When  the  people  of  the  United  States  hear  such  men  as  Mr. 
Lloyd,  a  senator  from  one  of  the  first  of  the  commercial 
fttates,  declare  that  he  was  <'  in  active  mercantile  business 
from  179S  to  1807,  and  the  proprietor  of  navigation  fon 
those  fourteen  years,"  and  that,  to  his  recollection,  "  there 
was  not  a  single  seaman  or  passenger  taken  from  any  ves- 
sel belonging  to  him^or  in  which  he  was  interested''— when 
the  people  hear  such  declarations,  from  such  authority,  what 
will  they  say  to  the  men  who  have  so  long  been  attempting 
to  impose  upon  them  with  their  pretended  list  of  62S7  im-t 


I 
I 


t 


effronterv  llcll     ''  f™"' her  stern,  and  yet  have  the 
that  "on  J   ist  t:  J"  "f"'  P^''^"  'P""""-  that    even 

part-or  tTe  Cho,    n";^!""?'  ■=""'=""  --  "-n  one  thi.U 
i«  wnoxe  number  of  impressments  I 


D.An  S,„,  ■^^*="••^•olo.^•,F£B.^4,  181; 

letter  of theTsufl":  """  ,""  "'"'"'  ""'=''-''  »  y- 
of  American  sa^on'ror  "''^"'  °'  ""=  in.press^ent 
borof  cases  "hth  '  ell  ^  ^  "?  "*'  "''"'•"■'■"  "•<=  -'™- 
-n.e„  e.one:i'=s^:7e:'Xrer'=  ""•'""''  '^  '"^«-  ^ 

ihe  testimony  which  has  already  been  taken  bv  the  rL 

sti^e^^r^i'^^rrsi'rr^^^^^^^^^ 

an  extended  delee  of  »  .    '  ^""'"''"S"'  °f  ^^X  "idence  in 
character.   "  •"^"""'f  »  ""''"eoature,  and  of  a  different 

-._  t  intermission  ^Z':::^^;:^^:^^!:: 

American  cuLn,  ™P'-"^«»»«  of  more  than  three 

These  circumstances,  connected  with  the  knowledge  that- 


'£B.  24,  18 13. 


e  than  three 


Massachusetts  furnishes  one  third  n^rf  of  .i 

nf  .K.     -^""'^"^ation  stron.5,  nearly  as  proof  from  holv  writ  " 

subject  l"'°^v!edsc  and  the  .mallost  interest  in  the 

senlenu  r„  '^71'""  '.""•' """  ""'"  "-ey  .o  ycu  n,, 
a  rela^ion  to  u"  .^7.7^"''"^  'T  ""-""'O"'  having 
debate  upon    L  Mil  t      •"■'  """'    *''""^  '  ''=•"  "=«'«  '"  » 

I  remarked,  that  —        ^'  occasion, 

prilSle'cf  JMrnTd'^'  "'  ^-"!«"'  ""o"'  «»«  established 
tries,  L  Great  B.il'""  "'"'  ''"''""  ""=  "™  "»"- 

p.es;into  hr.eS^raTf^'''".'''™'  '"" '•'^'"  "  ""- 
pie  of  the  U-,- .H  «    .  ''^  American  citizens,  the  peo- 

press  into  her  se  e  the  re';"."  :?'""■=  '"'  "«""  '°  '"- 
United  States  1  11  7  '  ^"*  ""'  ""'™  ""«"'  "f  «« 
nations  of  tie  .anh  '^' ""'^  ^  ""'  """  "or,  or  with  all  the 
"•ightbeaUkeius  '""'''  ""' ""=  ""■^™''«  prevented, 
for^he  use  of  'the   """f'^^" "  --mendabie.    The  ocean 

chartered  priv  ,  "sTn,  1"    f       """"""'  '"°""'  """  "" 
staining  from  in, W    '""""=  °^?"«' »■•  "«'«rality,  while  ab- 

^bo  navigat^ iraml    he        "'  "       ""  "'  ''"^  »'  "''  '°  ^» 

citi^en,  i-^ce^ro'rcri.  eT^nitLr"^^*'  ''■'"-"'- 
paramount  alleo-ianrp        ^  ^  elsewhere   no   primary  or 

and  as  it  regards  an  Lfri':i'.!li'r'=?''«^^  ^'-  -"-dual, 
as  if  he  were  arrested 'V^'r""'^'  "'  "^""  ^*  S™"  *  violation 
his  paternal  roof:rdtrsUcrar "'""'' '""'  ^"""^^  ^'•- 

«>.;'a!"d'  "renTvttioVh!rb'^'"'  '''=''"  '"'''  ^  -"-'' 
Violation  ha,  been  committed,  sl-e  offers  in.. 


li 


III 


I 


raediately  to  restore  the  sufferer.    In  point  of  principle,  there- 
fore,  there  is  nothing  at  issue  betxveen  the  two  governments. 
It  is  the  practice  only  that  is  complained  of-a  practice  out- 
raiveousin  its  character ;  in  some  instances,  and  which  ought  to 
be  arrested,  and  which,  with  fair  and  impartial  views  towards 
the  two  belligerents,  and  an  honest  disposition  to  give  them  a 
successful  effect,  can  be  speedily  accomplished-aud  respect- 
ine  which,  the  present  Secretary  of  State  has  already  declared 
he  could  have  made  an  arrangement  both  "  honourable  and  ad- 
vantageous" to  the  United  States  ;  but  until  the  efibrt  to  do 
this  be  made,  fairlv,  honourably,  and  aboveboard,  without  petu- 
lance or  irritation;  the  people  of  the  United  States  will  neither 
approve  the  war,  or  recruit  the  armies.     They  will  not  sublet 
themselves  to  privations  and  poverty  to  shelter  renegado  de- 
serters, nor  to  sanctify  custom-house  protections,  frequently, 
the  evidence  of  nothing  but  falsehoods  gross  and  palpable  as 
those  issuing  from  the  fathers  of  lies-which  extend  the  man- 
tle of  Nationality  with  equal  facility  over  the  exported  Patriots 
of  other  countries,  as  over  the  Native  Citizens  of  our  own— 
which  have  systematized  nothin?:  but  the  habit  and  price  of 
perjury  in  the  lowest  walks  of  life,  and  exposed  the  real,  indi- 
genous seamen  of  the  United  States,  by  inviting  wrongs  upon 
them,  from  the  openness  of  the  frauds  with  which  they  have 
attempted  to  shield  the  worthless  deserters  from  tlioir  own 
country  in  the  hour  of  its  greatest  peril  and  distress. 

«  For  men  of  this  class,  and  for  objects  of  this  description, 
the  people  ofthe  United  States  will  no':  willingly  support  a 
war,  at  least  not  until  they  find  their  fair  offers  of  peace  are 
reiected,  or  spurned  at,  and  that  no  alternative  remains  for 
them,  but  a  tame  submission  to  injury,  or  a  vigorous  prosecu- 
tion of  the  war  however  rashly  commenced,  or  impotemly  con- 

ducted." 

This,  my  dear  sir,  is  the  information  I  possess,  and  such  are 
the  sentiments  I  have  heretofore  advanced,  and  still  entertain, 
on  the  subject  to  which  you  have  alluded. 

I  am  always  with  sentiments  of  great  regard  and  respect, 

vour  friend  and  obedient  servant, 

^  JAMES  LLOYlJi. 

5^on.  T.  H.  Perkins,  Boston. 


DOCUMENTS 

HEFERRED  TO  IN  THE  FOREGOi:fir& 

REPORT. 


[No.  1.] 
The  Deposition  of  Isaac  Claeke. 

I  reside  in  the  town  of  Brewster,  in  the  County  of  BarnstaWe* 
1  have  been  a  master  of  a  vessel  about  twelve  years  1  have  em- 
ployed on  board  the  vessels  under  my  command,  from  ten  to 
twenty-eight  menj  upon  an  average,  about  ten  to  each  vessel. 
Wunng  that  tiracj  viz.  about  the  year  179,'5,  I  had  one  man  im- 
pressed from  the  Byefield,  of  Boston,  off  the  coast  of  Savanah  in 
Georgia  J  his  name  was  Owen  Jones,  a  Welchman;  he  was  how- 
ever released,  and  returned  about  two  or  three  months  after  his 
impressment.  He  had  informed  me  that  he  was  a  Welchman  • 
he  had  a  protection  as  an  American  citizen.  In  the  year  1798* 
or  1799, 1  had  two  men  taken  from  the  Financier  of  Boston  ;  their 

names  were  Eben.  Gorham  and  Mansfield.     They  were 

Americans ;  Gorham  was  a  native  of  Barnstable ;  I  do  not  know 
the  native  place  of  Mansfield.     They  had  no  protections;  thev 
were  impressed  offthe  Naze  of  Norway.     Gorham  was  reieaseS 
about  three  or  four  months  afterwards;  he  returned  to  America 
soon  after  I  did  on  that  voyage.     Mansfield  entered  on  board  the 
British  sh.p,  (this  I  had  from  the  information  of  Gorham)  and  I 
have  not  heard  of  him  since.     They  were  impressed  by  a  British 
frigate  ;  I  do  not  recollect  her  name  or  that  of  her  commander  - 
Hor  do  I  remember  the  name  of  the  sloop  of  war  that  impressed 
the  first  man  abovenamed,  viz.-^Owen  Jones,  nor  the  name  of  her 
commander;  she  was  a  sloop  of  w  .,  of  twenty  four  guns.     Dur. 
mg  the  t,me  I  was  master  of  a  vessel,  1  ma^le  nine^oya^es  to 
Kfissia,  hvo  to  Spam,  and  one  to  Portugal,  and  one  from*  f^pen- 
hagen  to    Dunkirk  ;  and  four  or  five  to  the  West  Indies.     Almost 
every  one  of  these  voyages  I  was  boarded  by  British  eruizers.Tnd 
8o,uef ,mes  by  French  cruizers.     I  never  had  any  men  taken  fn,m 
my  vessels  at  any  other  time  than  abovementioned.  excep    onc^ 
while  I  was  at  Liverpool,  in  England,  when  two  of  my  crew  that 
were  on  shore,  were  t^ken  up  by  the  press-gang,  they  bad  left 
t^eir  pro  ections  on  hoard;  and  upon  application  by*  myself  to 
the  Regulating  Captain,  they  were  retnnvd  to  me  tho  next  clay 
Lne  name  of  onp  wnBTlifinflni<an»»....  „*«o ._  .    ...        .  •'* 

V^as  a  man  of  colour,  who  called  himsolf  a  Y ircinian 


^2 


^' 


1  am  oue  of  the  Selectmen  of  Brewster;  I  know  of  one  person 
^ow  under  impressment  by  the  British,  belonging  to  that  town,  by 
ihe  name  of  Prince  Freeman  ;  this  is  the  only  case  in  that  town, 
he  was  impressed  when  on  shore,  in  Ireland,  and  had  no  protec- 
tion ;  last  spring  a  protection  wai  made  out,  and  an  application 
forwarded  by  his  father,  as  I  have  understood,  to  our  agent  in 
London.     1  do  not  know  whether  he  has  been  discharged  or  not. 

Two  men  belonging  to  Brewster,  have  been  taken  by  French 
vessels  at  sea,  and  detained  in  France.     Their  names  are  Rue-. 

ben  Harden  and  Mayhew ;  Mayhew  was  taken  about 

three  years  ago,  and,  as  his  father  informs  me,  is  detained  in  pris- 
on in  the  interior  of  France.  Wie  have  never  heard  of  Harden 
since  he  was  taken,  which  is  about  two  years  ago.  Harden  and 
Mayhew  are  both  natives  of  Brewster  A  protection  for  Mayhew 
was  obtained,  and  forwarded  about  twelve  months  ago  last  Sep- 
tember, to  our  agent  in  France.  In  the  ship  Financier  above- 
hientioned,  I  had  seven  or  eight  men,  besides  Gorham  and  Mans- 
field without  any  protections ;  they  were  all  Americans,  except 
one,  who  was  a  Dane,  and  further  say  not. 

ISAAC  CLARK. 

mvFFoLK,  ss.    Feb.  I5th,  1813. 
Swern  to  before 

Alex.  Townsend,  J".  Peace. 


t!  t 


li  > 


I 


% 


[No.  3.] 
The  Deposition  of  John  Eldridge^ 

I  reside  in  \armouth  in  the  county  of  Barnstable.  T  have 
been  master  of  a  vessel  about  seventeen  years,  within  the  last 
twenty  four  years ;  an''  have  had  on  board  my  vessels  from  sev- 
en to  sixteen  men  ;  on  an  average  about  eight  or  nine.  About  the 
year  1803,  while  I  was  lying  at  Trinidad,  in  the  sloop  Stork, 
one  of  my  men,  while  on  shore,  had  quitted  his  boat  and  was  ta- 
ken up  by  the  press-gang.  His  name  was  William  Boynton,  and 
he  was,  as  he  told  me,  an  American.  The  next  day  I  was  in- 
formed by  the  officer  of  the  press-gang,  that  the  man  was  taken, 
and  immediately  upon  my  application  on  board  the  ship  where 
lie  was  placed,  he  was  returned  to  me,  with  some  money  he  had 
about  him  He  had  left  his  protection  on  board  the  vessel  at 
the  time  when  he  was  taken. 

In  1810,  while  I  was  at  Martinique,  a  Portuguese  boy  mamed 
Joseph  Friay,  belonging  to  my  vessel,  was  impressed  'from  the 
vessel ;  he  was  detained  two  days,  but  upon  my  application  he 
was  discharged  ;  he  had  no  protection,  nor  any  indenture  of  ap- 
l»renticeship  ;  he  was  a  servant  to  my  mate. 

T  (in  nni  knnw  of  *l,nv  norsinn  liolntiufino*  in  VawmnntXt  n^ 


.„-!. 


w  of  one  person 
to  that  town,  by 
se  in  that  t^wn, 
had  no  protec- 
:  an  application 
to  our  agent  in 
jharged  or  not. 
iken  by  French 
lames  are  Rue-, 
as  taken  about 
detained  in  pris- 
jard  of  Harden 
).  Harden  and 
ion  for  Mayhew 
s  ago  last  Sep- 
^inancier  above- 
bam  and  Mans- 
lericans,  except 

^C  CLARK. 


DGE^ 

stable.  I  have 
within  the  last 
issels  from  sev- 
ine.  About  the 
he  sloop  Stork, 
oat  and  was  ta- 
rn Boynton,  and 
day  I  was  in- 
man  was  taken^ 
the  ship  where 
;  money  he  had 
1  the  vessel  at 

eseboy  mamed 

sssed   from   the 

application  he 

denture  of  ap- 


M 
.1 


S3 

impressment,  or  other  dentention  by  the  British.  One  man  h%~ 
longing  to  the  town,  viz.  Enoch  Hallet  jun.  has  been  taken 
and  carried  into  Jranee,  and  13  there  detained.  This  informa- 
tion I  have  had  from  his  father,  who  also  says,  that  Hallet,  toM- 
ther  with  the  mate  (who  does  not  belong  to  Yarmouth)  were  de- 
tamed  as  pledges  for  the  performance  of  some  agreement  of  th* 
captain  in  regard  to  the  ransom  of  the  vessel  jHallet's  father 
has  since  told  me  that  the  mate  abovementioned  has  returned  tm 
America ;  his  son  remains  in  France.  The  mate  I  understood  from 
Mr  Hallet,  had  made  his  escape  from  the  French  prisons,  where 
he  and  Hallet  had  been  detained.  I  am  one  of  the  Selectmen 
ol  Yarmouth,  and  have  been  one  for  six  years  past. 

Suffolk,  ss.  Feb.  ±5th,  ±8i8,  *^".o. 

^Sworn  to  before 
>-  Alex.  TowNSEND,  j;  Pfeoce.  *        "^^  ^ 


[No.  3.] 
The  Deposition  of  Eben.  Parsons. 

1  reside  in  Boston,  and  have  been  engaged  in  commerce  im» 
navagation  ior  about  forty-five  years.     I  have  employed  upon^ 
average,  annually,  from  the  year  1793,  afVout  one  hundred  and  fif. 
/snfT^/'v'"^  IT''^''  ""Saged  in  foreign  trade,  up  to  the  y^r 
1803  5  and  from  the  year  1803,  to  the  time  of  the  Embarffn 
have  employed  about  one  hundred  seamen,  annually  upon  an  avet" 

but  the  Byefield  and  Financier'^C  which  are  related  ki^the  De! 
position  of  Capt  Isaac  Clark)  except  the  following,  vizlone 
of  my  vessels  (the  Financier  abovementioned)  commanded  W 
Cap!  Sargean  ,  about  the^ear  1805  or  1806,  being  on  her  return 
from  the  East-lndies,  put  fnto  St.  Helena,  a«d  while  there,  twS 
of  he  crew  were  impressed  from  the  shi,>;  ther  wer.  lre%uert 
tte  Raftr  P^"*^^*^«»*'  «"  another  vovage  ofthe  same  slfp  'o 
the  Baltic,  a  ymmg  man  by  the  name  o^  Thacher,  of  Yarmo- 

rnrlo?  '"'  \^  ^  ?"'^'**  '^'^  '  '^'  young  man  had  taken  out 
«  protection  when  he  was  quite  a  boy,  and  had  grown  up  at  the 

time  when  he  was  taken,  and  the  description  in  his  protect  on 
ddnot  agree  with  hs  person;  this  was  the  reason  a  signed  at 
the  time  for  taking  him.     On  the  return  of  the  ship,  I  forwarded 

mediately  discharged  This  nrotection  was  certiBed  by  L 
Selectmen,  and  Town  Clerk  of  Yarmouth  ^  '    ^ 


S.ri::-^'-^'^'-"'i'-^^'S:''rCz 


ippmg 


1 4o  not  know  of  any  Americans  impressed,  from 


any  vesfee'J 


m 


% 


I 


belonging  to  the  town  where  I  reside,  other  than  those  aboveineik<» 
tlonea  and  referred  to. 

I  have  not  had  any  men  taken  from  my  vessels  by  the  French, 
except  when  my  vessels  were  taken  by  them. 

« .  ^ ,  EBEN.  PARS0N8. 

SvProLKfSS.    Feb.  15th,  1813. 
Sworn  to  before 

Alex.  Townsend,  J.  Peace, 


[No.  4.] 
The  Deposition  of  William  Parsons.        ^^ 

I  reside  iu  Boston,  and  have  been  engaged  in  commerce  and 
navigation  about  thfrty  years.  I  have  employed  in  my  vessels, 
annually,  upon  an  average,  about  fifty  seamen,  until  the  time  of 
the  embargo.  I  have  no  recollection  of  any  of  my  seamen  being 
impressed  for  the  last  twenty  years,  except  in  one  instance.  In 
the  year  1806,  a  seaman  was  taken  from  the  ship  Meridian,  capt. 
Lord,  in  coming  out  of  Rotterdam,  by  a  British  sloop  of  war; 
I  dp  not  recollect  the  man's  name  5  he  and  all  the  rest  of  tlie  crew 
I  shipped  at  Norfolk,  in  Virginia,  and  there  was  only  one 
rtcan  among  them  5  the  man  taken,  as  above,  was  an  Irish- 
man. When  I  paid  off  the  crew  they  informed  me  that  they  had 
bought  their  protections  at  Norfolk,  for  two  dollars  a  piece. 
€&pt.  Lord  applied  to  the  commander  of  the  sloop  of  war,  who 
i^id  he  would  deliver  up  the  man,  if  tho  man  himself  would  give  • 
Bis  word  that  he  was  an  American,  which  he  would  not  doj  but 
^id  he  had  a  wife  in  America. 

I  do  not  know  of  any  American  seamen  being  impressed  iProm 
any  vessel  belonging  to  the  town  where  I  reside,  other  than  the 
vessels  above  mentioned  belonging  to  me. 

The  mumber  of  men  employed  on  an  average,  including  large 
«fad  small  vessels,  in  foreign  trade,  is  about  six,  for  every  hund- 
ried  tons  of  shipping 

Upon  enquiring  of  all  the  crew  of  the  Meridian  that  were  paid 
off  as  abovementioiied,  1  found  that  there  was  but  one  instance 
where  the  true  names  of  the  men  agreed  with  the  names  men- 
tioned in  their  protections;  that  was  a  Oonnecticnt  man.  When 
I  speak  of  their  true  names,  I  mean  the  names  thfy  gave  me 
when  1  paid  themvoff,  and  bv  which  they  receipted  to  me  for 
their  wa^es;  many  of  them  had  forgotten  the  names  they  went 
bv  m  their  protections,  Whep  they  were  shipped  at  Norfolk, 
their  protections  were  picked  out,  as  capL  Lord  informed  me, 

ittg-house  J  and  such  protections  were  chosen  as  agreed  with  the 
persons  of  the  seamen. 
Of  »ll  the  erews  of  my  vessels  that  have  been  shipped  at  Bos- 


I 


M 


w 


i 


lose  abovemenv 
by  the  French^ 
PARS0N8. 


IONS. 

eominerce  and 
in  my  ve§9els« 
itil  the  time  or 
'  seamen  being 
'■  instance.  In 
leridian,  capt. 
sloop  of  war  j 
estofUie  erew 
was  only  one 
was  an  lrish> 
that  they  had 
liars  a  piece. 
p  of  war,  who 
elf  would  gjve  • 
d  not  do ;  but 

npressed  from 
ther  than  the 

ncluding  large 
r  every  hund- 

ihat  were  paid 
':  one  instance 
e  names  men* 

man.  When 
hfy  gave  me 
ed  to  me  for 
mes  they  went 
dat  Norfolk, 

informed  me, 

.     _  J.     2.1.  _      I       .  _  _,  J 

;reed  y^Uh.  the 
ipped  at  Bos- 


ton, I  do  hM  l^eollef^  any  fnstaiice  wiia-e  c  mm  hfti  k«eii  fill 
pressed.  The  Norfolk  crew  abovementioned  wait  the  only  ic- 
stance  where  iicrew  of  mine  had  been  shipped  in  any  other  port 
than  Boston. 

WILLIAM  PARSONS. 

Suffolk,  ss.      Feb,  i5th,  1813. 
Sworn  to  before 

Alex.  Towstsend,  J.  K  -  ?. 


[No.  5.] 
The  Deposition  of  Caleb  Lorikg>         >& 


V- 


I  reside  in  Boston.  I  have  been  engaged  in  commerce  and  na« 
vfgation  between  eighteen  and  nineteen  years.  I  have  employed 
upon  an  average  annually,  about  forty  seamen  in  foreign  trade. 

I  recollect,  at  present,  but  one  instanceof  any  of  my  seamen  be- 
ing inpressed  by  the  British  ;  in  July  1809,  two  seamen  belong- 
ing to  the  ship  Hugh  Johnson,  while  she  wag  lying  at  Palermo, 
were  taken  from  her  by  a  British  brig  of  war;  i  do  net  know 
therr  names — 6ne  of  these  men  was  an  Englishman,  the  other 
was  an  American.  When  the  British  officer  boarded  the  ship, 
capt.  Eames,  who  was  the  master  of* her,  said  to  them,  that  if  tlic| 
were  determined  to  take  any,  as  he  found  they  were,  they  must 
take  that  man,  and  pointed  at  the  same  time  id  the  Englishman 
above-mentioned,  and  told  the  officer  that  the  man  Was  an  English- 
man. The  officer,  however,  took  the  Amerieam.  I  do  not  know 
whether  either  of  these  two  men  had  protections ;  but  Capt.  Earties, 
told  the  officer,  that  he  had  known  the  American  from  a  boy.  We 
have  always  been  very  careful  to  select  American  seamen  for  our 
vessels,  and  such  as  had  protections.  I  cannot  undertake  it  sar, 
whether  these  two  men  were  shipped  ^n  Boston ;  for  the  vess'el 
W«nt  td  Gity-point  on  James  River,  \  i^-inia,  ami  there  had  to 
make  up  her  crew,  on  account  of  some  having  left  the  vessel,  Jic* 
cording  to  the  best  of  my  recollection.  I  do  not  know  whether  any 
applieation  was  ever  made  for  the  discharge  of  the  man  impress- 
ed as  above,  nor  whether  he  has  been  discharged  or  not,  I  do  not 
personally  know  of  any  Ameriean  impressed  from  any  other  ves 
«el  belonging  to  the  town  where  I  reside,  other  than  the  case  above 
mentioned. 

The  number  of  men  employed  on  an  average,  inelndijig  \nr»t 
and  small  vessels,  in  foreign  trade,  is  about  six  for  every  hundred 
tons  of  shipping.  ,, 

In  saying  as  above,  that  we  have  always  been  verv  careful  ia 
^^)^'m^imrimn  seamen,  I  mean  to  be  understood  tlirit  we  huve 
earetully  avoided  employing  Englishmen;  we  have  emploTed 
Danes  and  Swedes,  and  of  otlier  nations  i    . 

I  have  never  had  any  men  impressed  or  taken  by  any  other  na 


MW-MwWB 


# 


B6 


tittB,  exfeept  when  my  rcssels  have  beeH  take»,  ivhicli  has 
by  the  French  as  well  as  Engligh. 

^  ^  /       ,  CMJSB  LORDTGk 

mJFFoLK,  ss.    Feb.  iSth,  isiS. 

Sworn  to  before 

^  Alex.  Townsend,  J.  P^om. 


■^i*''' 


[No.  6.] 
TTie  Deposition  of  Jon^  Holland. 


I  reside  in  Boston,  and  have  been  a  Fhip  owner  and  master  for  a- 
bout  twenty  six  years.  I  was  a  master  of  a  ship  for  about  fourteen 
years ;  and  during  that  time  usually  had  crews  of  about  eight  men 
upon  an  average  ?  and  while  owner  i  have  employed  about  thirty 
seamen  annually  on  an  average,  for  the  last  twelve  years,  except 
the  year  ol  the  embargo.  ^        '         r 

In  the  year  of  1800,  while  I  was  master  of  the  brig  Mary  of 
Boston,  when  off  the  Orkney  Islands,  one  of  my  men  was  taken 
by  a  British  sloop  of  war;  I  do  not  recollect  his  name;  he  was 
an  American,  and  shipped  as  a  green  hand,  and  took  no  protection 
jritn  him.  He  had  been  serving  at  the  hatter's  trade  in  Roxbury. 
«n  my  return  to  Boston  I  applied  to  the  Collector  of  Boston, 
Ueneral  Lincoln,  and  requested  that  documents  might  be  forward- 
^  to  London,  which  I  procured  and  which  were  forwarded  by 
v«en.  Lincoln,  and  the  man  was  discharged  and  returned  home 
in  about  a  year.  I  understood  from  him,  according  to  the  best  of 
my  recollection  that  when  he  was  discharged  by  the  British  his 
wages  were  paid  him. 

1  have  never  had  any  other  man  than  the  above,  impressed  from 
any  vessel  in  which  1  have  been  concerned,  either  as  master  or 
owner,  to  my  recollection. 

The  voyages  of  my  vessels  have  been  to  the  West  Indies  and 
to  ditterent  parts  of  Europe.  ,    .^ 

The  number  of  men  employed  on  an  average,  inclrtding  lartte 
and  small  vessels,  in  foreign  trade,  is  about  six  for  every  hundred 
tons  01  shipping. 

I  have  no  knowledge  of  any  other  case  of  impressment  from 
Ihc  town  of  Boston. 

^  ^ .  '  JOHN  HOLLAND.  - 

SvFFOLK,  SS.    Feb.  iSth,  1813. 

Sworn  to  before 

Alex.  Townseni|^  J.  Peace. 

•A^k  ?'n^^^''  this  deposition  was  taken,  the  Committee  i;pefi4«, 
m  the  following  note  from  Mr.  HoUand^  ^"^W:^ 


;9l»9 


Boston,  Feb,  ±ifh,  1813. 
John  Pickering,  Esq. 


Tlie  person  impressed  from  the  Brig  Mary  under  my 
Ibommand,  was  named  Oliver  Blood.  Permit  me  to  correct  an  er- 
ror, he  was  pressed  in  the  year  1799  and  not  1800  as  stated,  but 
itturned  in  1800  and  received  the  balance  of  his  wages  on  27th 
Juut,  1800. 

Yours,  Respectfully, 

JOHN  HOLLAND. 


[No.  7.] 
4%c  Deposition  of  Moses  Townsend,  Esq» 

1  Moses  Tojvnsend  of  Salem,  in  the  County  of  Essex,  Esquire^ 
do  depose  and  say — That  i  have  been  engaged  in  commerce  and 
navigation  for  about  thirty  years,  and  was  master  of  a  ship  about 
twenty  years      1  have  usually  had  crews  of  ten  and  twelve  men, 
upon  an  average.    I  never  had  any  men  impressed  from  any  of 
the  vessels  under  my  command,  except  once  while  I  was  ^t  Bris- 
tol in  England.     On  that  occasion,  1  had  three  or  four  men  im- 
pressed, belonging  to  the  ship  Light  horse,  under  my  command ; 
they^were  taken  in  the  evening,  and  upon  my  application  through 
the  American  Cousul,  they  were  released  the  next  day.    The  on- 
Iv  one  of  them  that  I  recollect  now,  w  as  John  Patterson  of  Salem  j 
the  others  were  all  native  Americans.     I  do  not  know  whether 
they  had  their prot«ctions  with  them  or  not;  I  recollect  that  on 
producing  their  protections  to  the  press-master,  they  werereleas-* 
od  the  next  day,  this  was  1  tliiuk,  in  the  year  1796.  No  other  cases 
are  within  my  personal  knowledge,  except  one,  viz.  John  Fairfield 
of  Salem^  who  was  impressed  and  remained  in  the  British  service 
till  his  death ;   he  was  taken  from  the  ship  Ann,  (which  I  think 
belonged  to  Boston,)  and  by  the  last  accounts  we  had  from  him, 
he  was  on  board  a  British  frigate,  which  was  afterwards  lost,  or 
a  missing  vessel.     He  was  impressed  in  India  about  1797.    Ire' 
collect  now  the  case  of  Edward  Hulen  of  Salem,  who  has  mention- 
ed to  me  his  being  impressed  by  the  British  in  Madras  roads,  tVom 
the  ship  Betsey,  about  1797.     I  think  he  said  he  had  been  iiuci-r 
impressment  some  years,  but  he  was  released,  and  afterwards  "-ot 
home.     Daniel  Mc  Millan,  Daniel  Bacon,  Samuel  Larrabee,  jnni 
Thomas  Vincent,  Samuel  Shepard,  and  two  others  ".om  the  same 
Tessel  with  Shepard,  I  have  understond  from  common  report  in 
Salem,  have  also  been  impressed  from  S; iem.     The  last  of  the 
above  cases  I  should  think  wag  about  1807  or  1808,  but  of  the  time 
I  am  not  eertain,  though  I  think  it  was  before  the  embargo.     A|i 
of  these  except  Bacon,  have  as  I  believe  been  released,  and  re- 
turned home ;  1  ^resHsie  BacoB  is  still  nuder  impressment.  J»B|e5 


and  Jogeph  Symonds  also  have  been  impressed,  and  have  sincf 
returned  home;  they  were  from  Salem. 

In  addition  to  the  above  {  should  state  the  ca§e  of  — ^ Clark, 

who  gave  his  deposition  before  myself  and  another  magistrate, 
respecting  his  impressment  about  a  month  since.  ^ 

I  do  dot  know  whether  any  application  was  ever  made  for  the 
discharge  of  Baoen  or  not. 

I  have  been  one  of  the  Selectmen  of  Salem  for  six  years,  and 
President  of  an  insurance  office  in  Salem,  ever  since  the  year  1804 

MOSES  TOWNSEND 

N.  B    After  this  deposition  was  taken,  the  Committee  receiv- 
ed the  following  note  from  Mr.  Townsend. 

Salem  February  ±3, 1818. 

JOHK    PiCKEHING,  EsQ. 

Dear  Sir, 

In  my  deposition,  in  case  of  the  crew  of  the  ship  Light- 
horse ;  Patterson,  one  of  them,  it  is  stated  that  on  producing  their 
Protections  they  were  liberated;  on  reflection  I  am  n»t  certain 
they  had  Protections,  will  thank  you  to  have  the  word  "  Protect 
tiom'^  errased,  and  in  lieu  thereof  insert  8h  ^s  Papers.  I  also  find 
I  Vi2iS  mistaken  in  the  year;  it  ought  to  be  Sept.  or  Oct.  1795. 

I  am,  Sir, 

With  esteem  and  respect. 

Your  obedient  humble  servant, 

MOSES  TOWNSEND. 

Suffolk,  ss.  Boston,  February  13, 1813. — ^Pej-sonally  appear^ 
•d  the  above  named  Moses  Townsend,  in  presence  of  the  com- 
mittee appointed  by  the  House  of  Reppcsentatives,  on  the  subject 
of  impressed  seamen,  and  solemly  swore  that  he  would  make 
true  answers  to  such  questions  as*  should  be  put  to  him,  by  the 
<aid  Committee,  relating  the  subject  under  their  consideration. 

Before  me    Charles  Jackson,  J,  Fence. 


[No.  8] 
The  Deposition  of  Wiluata  W.  Olives. 

I  William  W.  Oliver  of  Salem,  in  the  County  of  Esc  3X,  do  de- 
pose and  say— That  I  have  been  an  oflicer  in  the  Custom  House 
in  that  town  for  nineteen  years  past,  ten  of  which  1  have  h^en  the 
Deputy  Collector  of  that  District. 

The  cases  of  impressments  from  ^alem,  which  have  come  with- 

John  Dalton  was  impressed  by  the  British  about  ten  years  ago, 
I  think;  application  has  been  ma^^  through thf  Ci»%t(»«i  Houstt- 


id  have  sincf 

f-^  Clark, 
sr  raagistratCfc 

made  for  the 

iix  years,  and 
he  year  1804. 
^NSEND 

nittee  receiv- 


^  13,  1813. 


s  ship  Light" 
educing  their 
n  not  certain 
ord  "  Protect 
'.  I  also  fiiul 
Oct.  ±795. 


pvant, 

i^NSEND. 

lally  appear^ 
:  of  the  com-' 
n  the  subject 
would  make 
him,  by  the 
sideration. 
,  J,  Fmce: 


Us:  3X,  do  de- 
stom  House 
Eive  b^en  the 

e  come  with< 

m  years  ago? 
stom  Housf^. 


$9 

to  the  Secretary  of  State,  for  his  disehargt ;  I  do  not  know  the 
result  of  it,  but  believe  he  is  still  absent.  I  think  there  has  been 
more  than  one  application  ;  the  last  was  about  two  years  ago ;  the 
first  was  made  soon  after  his  impressment,  I  should  say  about 
eight  years  a^o.     He  was  a  native  of  Salem  ;  he  had  a  protection. 

Elijah  Eldridge,  a  native  of  Salem,  was  impressed  about  1807, 
and  was  rele.ised  immediately  upon  my  application ;  1  had  known 
him  from  a  boy—He  had  a  protection.*  ]  cannot  undertake  to  say 
that  he  was  impressed,  or  whether  he  entered ;  but  I  understood 
from  his  frieods  that  he  had  been  impressed 

I  have  no  recollection  of  other  cases,  except  those  mentioned  in 
the  deposition  of  Moses  Townsend,  Esq.  and  of  three  of  them, 
VIZ.  Vincent,  Patterson  and  Clerk,  I  have  no  knowledge  or  recol- 
lection. Of  all  those  eases,  I  think  McMillan  and  Bacon,  with 
Dalton  above  mentioned,  are  still  absent;  all  the  others  lyive 
returned; 

There  was  one  other  case,  that  of  one  Talbot,  (whos^  'stian 
name  I  think  was  Francis,)  a  blackman,  and  native  oi  lem, 
who  was  impressed  before  the  embargo,  and  is  still  detainea,  as  I 
believe.  He  had  a  protection,  being  known  at  the  Custom  House 
to  be  a  native  of  Salem ;  the  instructions  from  the  Secretary  of 
State  to  the  Collectors,  however,  are  not  to  issue  protections  to 
blacks,  or  people  of  colour.  Talbot's  father  has  taken  out  pro- 
tections twice,  and  I  think  three  times,  for  the  purpose  of  obtain- 
ing the  release  of  his  son  ;  whether  application  has  been  made  by 
him  I  do  not  know.  I  do  not  know  from  what  vessel,  or  by  what 
vessel,  he  was  taken. 

The  law  for  granting  protections  was  received  at  the  Custom 
House,  in  the  summer  of  1796,  and  the  first  protection  granted 
from  the  Custom  House  at  Salem,  was  on  the  first  day  of  Au«*u8t 
1796.  ^  a      > 

WILLIAM  W.  OLIVER, 

^ 

Suffolk,  Boston,  February  ±3, 1813  —Personally  appear- 
ed the  above  i.-med  William  W  Oliver,  in  the  presence  of  the 
Committee  appointed  by  the  House  of  Representatives,  on  the 
subject  of  impressed  seamen,  and  solemnly  swore  that  he  would 
make  true  answers  to  such  questions  as  should  be  put  to  him,  by 
the  said  Committee,  relating  to  the  subject  under  their  consider- 
^^^on.  Before  me,  Charles  .Tackson,  J.  Peace, 


rXo.  9.1 

The  Deposition  of  Joseph  Peabody. 

IJoseph  Peabody,  of  Salem,  in  the  County  of  Essex,  merchant, 
do  depose  and  say— That  I  have  been  ens^aged  in  commerce  and 
navigation  about  twenty  eight  years  ;  eight  of  which,  or  therea- 


jj^i^i^'  -^'-wSnjiili'w' ''^w'^^PiPHIIIKWHI 


ii      ! 


I 


ao 


bouts,  I  was  master  of  a  vessel.  For  the  last  twelve  years,  OT 
about  that  period,  I  have  employed,  upon  an  average,  .ainuallyi 
in  my  vessels,  one  hundred  and  fifty  seamen,  in  foreign  trade. 

None  of  my  seamen  have  ever  been  impressed,  or  detained,  ex- 
cept the  two  following,  viz.  John  Christian,  a  Swede,  was  im* 
pressed  about  a  year  ago,  from  my  brig  George,  (C.  F.  Tucker, 
master,)  at  Gibraltar,  and  put  on  board  an  English  sloop  of  war  5 
the  sloop  of  war  sailed  before  my  captain  knew  of  her  departure ; 
but  the  brig  George,  soon  after  proceeded  to  Malta,  and  there 
found  the  same  sloop  of  war ;  and  Capt.  Tucker,  upon  applica- 
tion obtained  the  r^Ioase  of  Christian,  without  any  difficulty.  I 
presume  Christian  had  a  protection;  he  was  naturalized,* as  I 
believe. 

Josiah  Cotton  of  Plymouth,  was  a  seaman  on  board  the  schoon- 
er FJsh-Hawfc,  Jacob  Lee,  master.  While  at  Trinidad,  in  a  pub- 
lic house,  (as  Capt,  Lee  has  informed  me,)  in  company  with  some 
English  seamen,  belonging  to  a  ship  of  war,  he  took  sides  with 
the  Englishmen  in  opposing  their  officers,  and  was  in  consequence 
carried  with  them  on  board  the  ship  of  war,  and  detained.  He 
was  afterwards  released  without  application,  and  has  since  re- 
turned home  and  applied  to  me  for  his  wages.  He  was  taken  as 
above,  about  two  years  ago.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  had  a 
protection  or  not ;  he  was  shipped  at  Baltimore. 

The  above  are  the  only  instances  of  impressments  from  any  of 
my  vessels,  at  any  time. 

I  have  no  personal  knowledge  of  any  other  cases.  I  havt 
heard  of  the  cases  of  Samuel  Sliepard,  Samuel  Larrabee,  Daniel 
McMillan,  which  are  mentioned  by  Moses  Townsend,  Esq.  in 
liis  deposition.  Shepard  has  since  been  released,  and  I  think  the 
two  men  which  were  taken  with  him,  from  the  Cynthia,  (John  H. 
Andrews,  master,)  have  also  been  released ;  I  have  seen  Shepard 
myself  since  his  discharge. 

James  Symonds  and  Joseph  Symonds,  also  of  Salem,  who  were 
impressed,  have  also  been  released,  as  I  have  learnt  from  a  letter 
from  them  to  their  father,  whicn  I  have  read. 

JOSEPH  PEAUODY. 
Suffolk,  ss.     Boston,  Feb.  13, 1813. 
Sworn  to  as  the  preceding,  before 

Charles  Jackson,  J.  Peace.. 


[No.  10.] 
The  Deposition  of  Nathan  FeltoN. 

1  Nathan  Felton,  of  Danvers,  in  the  County  of  Essex,  do  de- 
pose and  say — That  I  have  been  one  of  the  Selectmen  and  asses- 
sors of  said  Danvers,  for  fifteen  years  past,  and  Town  Clerk  for 
twelve  years  piist. 


reive  years,  ajr 
-age,  .i,iinuallyi 
reign  trade. 
Br  detained,  ex- 
wede,  was  im* 
:C.  F.  Tucker, 
Ii  sloop  of  war } 
her  departure ; 
ilta,  and  there 
upon  applica- 
y  difficulty.  I 
turalized,  as  I 

ard  the  schoon- 
idad,  m  a  pub- 
[>any  with  some 
ook  »ides  with 
in  consequence 
detained.  He 
I  has  since  re- 
e  was  taken  as 
ther  he  had  a 

its  from  any  of 

Bases.  I  hav9 
irrahee,  Daniel 
nsend,  Esq.  in 
and  I  think  the 
nthia,  (John  H. 
e  seen  Shepard 

ilem,  who  were 
tit  from  a  letter 

PEA30DY. 


Essex,  do  de- 
men  pmA  asses- 
'own  Clerk  for 


M 


I  know  of  no  cases  of  seamen  belonging  to  Danvers,  that  have 
been  impressed.  I  never  heard  of  any  person  of  the  name  of 
William  Tyson  Bunch,  in  the  town.  1  was  born  in  the  tow  n,  and 
have  always  lived  there. 

NATHAN  FELTON. 
BostoN,  Feb.  ±3th,  1813. 

The  above  named  Felton,  made  oath 
to  the  truth  of  the  above  affidavit.^  before 
me  Lemuel  Shaw,  J.  Peaces 


[No.  11.] 
The  Deposition  of  Samuel  Page,  Esq. 

I  Samuel  Page  of  Danvers  in  the  county  of  Essex,  Esquire,  d«> 
depose  and  say,  that  I  was  bora  in  Danvers  and  have  always  resid- 
ed there — I  have  never  known  or  heard  of  any  person  in  the  town 
by  the  name  of  Wiliam  Tyson  Bunch.  J  have  never  known  of  any 
person  residing  in  the  town  who  ^as  ►  jen  impressed  or  detained 
by  any  foreign  nation.  I  have  been  concerned  in  navigation  for 
upwards  of  twenty  years,  and  have  never  had  any  men  impress- 
ed from  my  vessels. 

It  is  possible  that  in  some  vessels  which  I  have  been  concerned 
in  with  people  of  Salem,  there  may  have  been  cases  of  foreigners 
impressed ;  but  I  am  positive  no  American  seaman  has  ever  been 
taken  from  my  vessels. 

SAMUEL  PAGE. 
Boston,  Feb.  ±3tf',  1813. 
Sworn  to  before  me 

Lemuel  Shaw,  J.  Peaoe. 


[No.  13.]     , 
The  Deposition  of  Joseph  Mudge. 

I  Joseph  Mudge  of  Lynn,  in  the  County  of  Essex,  mariner,  th 
depose  and  say — that  I  have  followed  the  occupation  of  a  mari- 
ner for  about  twenty  years,  and  have  been  master  of  a  vessel 
from  the  first  of  January  1800,  (except  about  four  months  of  the 
year  1813,  while  I  was  mate  of  a  vessel,  in  ordier  to  get  a  pas- 
sage to  the  United  States  from  abroad.) 

I     nnVP     linn    ttAnniATt    4 i«Ariilonf1v   ^alrAn     -IV/wn    mo    livr   l^vifioK    A«*iii 

zers,  but  never  had  any  man  that  I  knew  to  be  an  American,  ta- 
ken from  me,  that  was  not  released  upon  my  application.  Tlie  fol- 
lowing seamen  have  been  taken  from  me,*  viz.  Manuel,  a  Portu- 
guese, was  tiiken  from  the  brig  Chatham  under  my  command,  bv 


■ 


32 

the  Hawk  sloop  of  war,  in  the  West-Indies  in  the  year  1803  ;  my 
vessel  was  taken  at  this  time,  but  the  above  named  Portu* 
guese  was  the  only  man  that  was  finally  detained 1  had  ship- 
ped Manuel  in  the  West-Indies,  and  he  had  no  protection. 

In  I80»i  George  Atwell,  a  native  of  L>un,  was  taken,  on  shore 
at  Liverpool  in  England,  from  the  liri^Bickford  under  my  com- 
mand ;  on  applying  myself  at  the  rendei-vous,  he  was  released  the 
same  night  about  eleven  o'clock  5  i  had  his  protection  on  board, 
and  on  my  producing  it,  his  release  was  allowed  as  above  ;  the 
press-gang  at  the  same  time  threatened  me  that  they  would  take 
me  the  next  day  5  they  had  taken  me  twice  bdovej'but  upon  my 
threatening  them,  and*  telling  them  that  1  should  carry  a  pair  o*f 
pistols  with  me,  they  trouMod  me  no  more.  I  never  was  at  Liver- 
pool afterwards. 

In  1807  (I  think  about  the  month  of  December,  or  perhaps  in 
January  1808,)  a  man  that  was  shipped  by  me  at  Madeira,  was 
taken  from  me  in  the  brig  Riokford  ;  I  do  not  i-ecollect  his  name^ 
nor  the  name  of  the  vessel  that  took  him  f  he  had  no  protection, 
and  I  never  looked  ifter  him,  supposing  him  to  be  an  English- 
man. 

In  1808,  in  the  Mediteranean,  about  the  month  of  September, 
I  had  one  man  taken  from  me,  who  had  come  on  board  without 
my  knowledge ;  he  owned  himself  to  be  an  Irishman  and  was  ta- 
ken away,  as  he  had  come,  without  my  interference. 

In  March  1808,  I  had  a  Portuguese  taken  from  me  by  the 
name  of  Manuel,  or  Emanuel ;  he  was  taken  from  on  board  the 
schooner  Hazard  under  my  command,  by  a  British  ship  of  war, 
that  I  do  not  recollect  the  name  of,  at  Messina  in  Sicily.  I  had 
shipped  him  at  Gibraltar,  and  he  had  a  Port-iguese  projection,  I 
believe  from  the  Portuguese  consul ;  I  applied  for  him,  and  the 
American  consul  at  Messina  applied  for  him,  and  the  British 
Consul  lliere  also  proniiseil  to  apply  for  him;  but  the  applica- 
tions were  without  success. 

In  1810,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Thomas  Porter,  belonging  to 
Marblehead.  and  a  native  of  that  place,  was  taken  while  my 
ver,sel.  the  brig  Hannah  of  Lynn,  lay  at  St.  Bartholomews;  said 
Pr.>  tf^r  was  at  the  time  on  board  of  a  droger,  or  coasting  sloop, 
on  my  business.  He  was  taken  by  a  British  brig  of  war,rwas  in- 
formed of  his  beiugtaken  ;  but  the  British  brig  had  sailed  for  St. 
Kitts,  before  I  could  apply  for  him.  I  immediately  took  passage 
and  followed  him,  and  got  him  again  by  applying  to  the  Captain, 
who  being  on  shore  gave  me  an  order  to  his  officers  and  he  was 
discharged.  I  do  not  recollect  whetber  he  had  his  protection 
with  him  or  not ;  I  think  it  probable  his  protection  was  in  my 
hands  ;  as  '».hat  was  my  usjial  practice  in  foreign  ports. 

In  1811,  i  sailed  from  ISoston  in  the  ship  Hannah  belonging  to 
Hon.  Wm.  Gray,  for  Marseilfes  ;  in  Februan/  of  that  year  was 
captured  by  the  British  cutter  Enterprenante,  in  the  Mediterrar 
nean,  and  sent  to  Gibraltar — all  my  men's  protections  were^taken 
from  roe  with  my  other  papers,  two  of  my  men  ^ere  detained 


33 


ytSLT  1802  ;  my 
named  PortU" 
. — 1  had  ship- 
[jtection. 
itken,  on  shore 
Jiider  my  com- 
as released  the 
ition  on  board) 
as  above ;  the 
ey  would  take 
;  but  upon  my 
arry  a  pair  of 
was  at  Liver- 

or  perhaps  in 
Madeira,  was 
lect  his  namc^ 
no  protection, 
e  an  En»lish- 

of  September, 
ioard  without 
n  and  was  ta- 
!e. 

im  me  by  the 
on  board  the 
I  ship  of  war, 
Sicily.  I  had 
J  protection,  I 
him,  and  the 
id  the  British 
t  the  applica* 

,  belonging  to 
:en  while  my 
loniews ;  said 
casting  sloop, 
war,l  was  in- 
sailed  for  St. 

took  passage 
)  the  Captain, 
i  and  he  was 
his  protection 
on  was  in  my 
rts. 

belonging  to 
hat  year  was 
le  Mediterrar 
IS  were,taken 
fere  detiiiaed 


i 


'i 

i 


they  both  belonged  to  Beverly ;  one  was  Joseph  — and  the 

other  John .     On  applying  for  them  to  the  captain  of  the 

cutter,  after  several  applications,  Joseph  was  given  up,  the  cap- 
tain telling  me  he  was  good  for  nothing ;  John  was  a  Dane,  by 
birth,  but  naturalized  in  the  United  States,  and  served  his  time 
with  Captain  Benjamin  Bickford,  of  Beverly,  and  had  his  pro- 
tection and  certificate  of  naturalization  with'him;  they  told  him 
he  must  either  go  to  prison  or  must  do  duty  on  board;  as  they 
were  at  war  with  the  Danes ;  he  was  put  on  board  the  guard  ship 
and  preferred  going  to  prison ;  he  was  released  after  about  twen- 
ty days—on  my  petitioning  to  the  admiralty  Judge,  the  protections 
were  all  retuns^^d  to  me. 

In  1812,  about  the  month  of  August,  I  shipped  on  board  the 
schooner  Ocean,  John  Cruft  of  Boston,  master,  at  Malta,  to  get 
my  passage  home,  and  shipped  as  mate.  While  acting  in  tbaf 
capacity  Mas  boarded  by  a  British  otticer  from  a  schooner  of  war 
at  that  port,  who  requested  to  see  the  protections  of  the  crew,  ait 
which  I  shewed  him  in  the  cabin,  and  he  examined  the  men  ac- 
cordingly. After  which  coming  on  deck,  he  ordered  two  of  the 
men  into  his  boat ;  they  observed  to  the  officer  that  he  had  seen 
their  protections, and  by  his  request  produced  them  again;  he 
hoM  ever  attempted  to  pocket  the  protections,  but  they  took  them 
from  him  and  handed  them  to  me  ;  he  then  ordered  his  men  to 
heave  the  two  men  into  his  boat,  which  they  did  and  carried 
them  on  board.  They  were  both  Americans,  that  is,  Benoni  Baker, 

of  the  town  of ,  on  Cape  Cod,  and  China  Owens  of  the 

town  of ■,  in  the  interior  of  Massachusetts,     The  Captain 

of  the  Ocean  applying  on  board  the  schooner  of  war,  was  told  to 
call  again  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  the  commander 
would  be  on  board.  This  I  was  informed  of  at  the  time  by  Cap- 
tain Cruft.  Captain  Cruft  then  told  them  that  he  should  apply  to 
the  admiral  if  they  did  not  give  up  the  men,  upon  which  they  re- 
leased the  men.  The  British  vessel  sailed  at  six  o'clock  the  next 
morning. 

After  the  officer  had  ordered  the  men  to  be  put  into  his  boat, 
as  above  stated,  I  observed  to  him,  that  if  his  Britannic  Majesty's 
vessels  were  commanded  by  gentlemen,  we  should  not  have  so 
mtich  difficulty  between  the  two  countries  ;  he  asked  me  what  I 
meant  by  it ;  I  told  him  he  was  a  blackguard,  and  no  gentleman, 
and  that  1  had  treated  him  like  a  gentleman ;  upon  which  he 
drew  his  dirk  and  threatened  to  take  me  on  board.  I  armed  my- 
self with  a  hatchet  and  told  him  to  keep  off  at  the  risk  of  his 
life,  which  he  did. 

I  know  of  no  other  case  personally,  of  men  belonging  to  the 

town  nr  T^vnn.  fkiaf  Kairp  Knn.1  :~....wv„^^ll       r^_i    r* .1    '~i»  r  1 

— , — , ...,..,  .8«Tr  -Jtcii  ixn[».- C33CU-- ^v^ui.  iiiceu  01  ijyiin  nas 

often  enquii  -J  of  me  if  I  knew  any  thing  of  his  son,  whc  he  said 

was  on    board  of  a  British  man   of  war ;    I   do  not  recollect 

now  whether  he  told  me  his  son  was  impressed  or  not;   but  he 

mentioned  that  he  had  frequently  applied  for  his  discharge  to  the 

Secretary  of  State,  and  to  the  American  agent  at  London— His 

name  was  Joseph  Breed. 


I 


'll 


%: 


ill 


I  ? 


i         !l! 


H-f 


i  I, 


♦  84* 

I  have  also  been  informed  by  Mary  Lindsey  of  Lynn,that  her  son 
Benjamin  was  impressed  about  six  years  since  and  that  she  had 
had  several  letters  from  him ;  he  was  on  board  the  Hazard  sloop 
of  war,  I  think.  She  has  since  told  me,  (about  six  months  ago)  she 
had  heard  of  his  death  on  board. 

JOSEPH  MUDGE. 

Suffolk,  ss.    Feb.  i5th,±8i3» 
Sworn  before  me 

Alex.  Townsend,  J.  Peace:' 


[No.  13.] 
The  Deposition  of  Zachariah  Atwell. 

I  Zachariah  Atwell,  jim.  of  Lynn  in  the  county  of  Essex'  mar- 
iner,depose  and  say — that  I  have  been  master  of  a  vessel  about  sev- 
en years  past.  I  never  have  had  any  seamen  taken  from  vessels 
under  my  command,  except  the  following,  viz  : — John  Antonio,  a 
Portuguese  boy,  was  shipped  by  me  in  Boston,  in  September  1810, 
I  think.  When  I  arrived  at  St.  Ubes,  he  was  demanded  by  the 
Portuguese  government  and  taken  from  the  vessel  by  order  of 
that  government,  signified  to  me  by  the  Deputy  Consul  of  that 
place,  Mr.  Hagermeister  ;  he  had  no  protection  and  was  not  ia 
my  muster-roll. 
*  An  English  boy,  whose  name  I  do  not  recollect,  in  the  year 
1809,  came  on  board  my  vessel,  the  Pocahontas,  while  I  lay  at 
Lisbon  ;  he  staid  two  or  three  days,  and  was  taken  out  by  a  man 
of  war's  boat,  which  is  the  last  that  I  have  heard  of  him.  He  had 
no  protection  and  was  not  in  my  shipping  paper. 

I  know  of  one  other  case,  viz  : — William  Lamphier,  who  cal- 
led himself  an  Englishman ;  I  shipped  him  in  Norfolk,  Virginia, 
in  April,  1813 ;  he  was  sent  on  board  my  vessel  by  David  Hall  of 
Portsmouth  (Virginia)  who  called  him  his  apprentice  and  signed 
the  shipping  paper  on  his  behalf  as  his  master.  He  brought  with 
him  to  me,  the  protection  of  Lamphier,  as  well  as  of  George 
Boush,  who  was  also  his  apprentice,  as  Hall  informed  me  I  was 
captured  on  my  voyage  from  Lisbon,  for  Boston,  and  was  carried 
into  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  about  the  21st  of  July,  1812  ;  all 
my  crew  were  released  except  Lamphier,  who  had  entered  on 
board  tne  sloop  of  war,  and  did  duty  as  a  sailor  at  the  time  while 
I  and  my  crew  were  prisoners  on  board  of  her.  He  declared  him- 
self to  be  a  native  of  Liverpool,  in  England* 

The  protection  which  Hall,  his  master,  gave  me  as  above  stat- 
ed is  hereto  annexed.* 

•  The  forgery  beinpj  apparent  only  in  the  original  protections,  It  is  useless 
to  inser.  coph-s  oi  the  'u  ;  the  originals  may  be  inspected  on  the  files  of  tl>e 
House  of  Ueprcsentatives, 


[in,that  her  son 

d  that  she  had 

Hazard  sloop 

tonths  ago)  she 

[  MUDGE; 


i 


ITELL. 

of  Essex'  mar- 
!ssel  about  sev- 
en from  vessels 
[)hn  Antonio,  a 
jptember  1810, 
[nanded  by  the 
iel  by  order  of 
yonsul  of  that 
Eiud  was  not  iu 

ct,  in  the  year 

while  I  lay  at 

out  by  a  man 

f  him.   He  had 

)hier,  who  cal- 
•folk,  Virginia, 
r  David  Hall  of 
tice  and  signed 
[e  brought  with 
I  as  of  George 
ned  me-  I  was 
nd  was  carried 
Fuly,  1812 ;  all 
liad  entered  on 
t  the  time  while 
e  declared  him- 

e  as  above  stat- 


tious,  il  19  useless 
«  the  ftles  of  U)ie 


SB 

The  only  other  case  that  I  know  of  from  the  town  where  I  live, 
is  that  of  Joseph  Breed,  a  son  of  Col.  Fred  Breed,  of  Lynn,  who, 
as  his  father  has  informed  me,  is  now  on  board  of  a  British  man 
of  war ;  1  have  alwa^^s  understood  that  he  was  impressed. 

I  have  also  heard  oJ'the  ease  of  Benjamin  Lyndsey,  stated  in  the 
deposition  of  capt.  Mudge ;  I  had  the  information  irom  his  moth- 
er, to  the  same  effect  as  capt.  Mudge  has  stated. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  I  should  state  that  while  I  Avas  in 
Norfolk,  in  April  1812, 1  shipped  a  man  that  I  picked  up  at  a 
boarding-house  there ;  the  landlord  brought  into  the  room  a  hand- 
ful of  protections,  and  took  out  one  and  handed  to  the  seaman, 
saying,  "  there  is  one  that  will  fit  you."  The  name  in  the  pro- 
tection was  John  Joluison,  and  the  protection  stated  that  the  man 
named  in  it  had  lost  the  great  toe  off  his  right  foot ;  but  I  dis- 
covered some  time  afterwards  that  the  man  I  shipped  had  not 
lost  either  of  his  toes. 

ZACHARIAH  ATWELL,  Jr. 
Suffolk,  ss.     Feb.  ±5th,  1813. 
Sworn  before  mc, 

Alex.  Townsend,  J.  Peace. 


[No.  14.] 
The  Deposition  of  Andrew  Harraden. 

I  Andrew  Harraden,  of  Salem,  in  the  county  of  Essex,  marin- 
«r,  depose  and  say,  that  I  have  followed  the  occupation  of  a  mar 
iner  about  thirty-two  years,  of  which  I  have  been  master  of  a  ves- 
sel from  the  year  1791,  to  this  time,  excepting  two  voyages  per- 
formed during  that  period  I  have  never  had  any  seamen  im- 
pressed from  my  vessels  except  in  one  instance.  In  the  year 
1802,  while  at  Cape  Francois,  in  the  month  of  August,  a  man  by 
llie  name  of  George  Rapdall  of  Boston,  was  taken  from  my  vessel 
by  a  French  press-master  and  his  gang,  and  .carried  on  board  a 
I  rench  frigate  lying  at  that  port.  On  application  to  the  com- 
mandant of  the  port  he  was  released  the  next  morning.  None  of 
my  men  were  ever  taken  or  detained  by  the  English. 

I  know  of  no  other  cases  of  impressment  personally  ;  a  second 
fiousin  of  mine  by  the  name  of  Philemon  Warner  Harraden  has 
been  in  the  British  navy  for  as  much  as  sixteen  years  past;  but 
I  have  been  informed  by  his  brother,  Nath  Harraden,  who  reside* 
at  Washington,  that  I»hilemon  had  entered  into  the  British  ser- 
vice voluntarily,  and  was,  by  the  last  accounts,  jin  India,  serving 
as  a  boatswain*  and  that  he  was  married  in  EuiriatHL 

I  have  heard  of  the  cases  of  four  Salem  men,  who  were  taken 
from  the  Cynthia,  belonging  to  Salem  ;  they  were  taken  about  the 
year  1805,  I  think  ;  two  of  them  were  Samuel  Shepard  and  Sam- 
uel Larrabee  ;  the  other  two  I  do  ^ot  remember.    Shepard  an  J 


I 


36 


\^ 


M 


Larrabee  have  both  returned ;  I  have  seen  them  frequently  sinc^^ 
and  from  my  knowledge  of  the  time  when  they  returned,  I  should 
think  it  was  about  twelve  or  eighteen  months  after  they  had  beei* 
taken  by  the  British. 

ANDREW  HARRADEN. 
Suffolk,  ss.     Feb  i5th,  1813. 
Sworn  to  before 

Alex.    Townsend,  J.  Peace. 


[No.  15]. 
Tke  Deposition  of  Josiah  Orne. 

I  Josiah  Orne  of  Salem  in  the  County  of  Essex,  mariner,  de- 
pose and  say — that  I  have  been  master  of  a  vessel  about  twenty 
seven-years. 

I  never  had  any  men  impressed  from  the  vessels  under  my 
command  by  the  British  except  in  one  instance — that  was  iu 
1801.  I  was  bound  from  New-York  for  the  Havanna,  about  the 
first  of  August,  in  the  brig  Exchange.  While  at  sea  on  the  west- 
ern edge  of  the  Bahama  Bank  I  was  becalmed  in  sight  of  a  Brit- 
ish frigate  (the  Cleopatra,  Capt.  Pelew)  I  was  boarded  by  the  lieu- 
tenant, who  requested  me  to  go  on  board  the  frigate  with  my  pa- 
pers ;  which  I  accordingly  did.  On  examining  my  shipping  pa- 
per he  found  a  name  that  he  appeared  to  be  acquainted  with,  and 
went  on  to  describe  the  man  named,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  leave 
no  doubt  in  my  mind  that  he  had  known  him  before,  and  he  said 
he  sliould  take  him. — ^He  dismissed  me,  with  orders  to  his  officer 
to  bring  thai  man  on  board  the  frigate.  When  we  returned  to  my 
ship,  the  lieutenant  observed,  that  there  v  ere  two  of  my  men  that 
he  must  take ;  one  of  them  had  been  an  old  shipmate  of  his ;  as  he 
said,  which  was  Charles  Willis,  who  had  been  described  to  me  as 
above  mentioned  by  the  captain  of  the  frigate.  My  sailors  had  in- 
formed me  that  Willis,  by  his  own  acknowledgment  to  them,  had 
not  been  away  from  the  frigate  above  thr(?e  months.  The  other 
appeared  to  be  a  green  Irishman,  and  had  a  broad  brogue  ?  his 
name  was  James  Wilson  ;  they  both  had  protections  which  they 
had  procured  at  New-York ;  but  when  they  applied  to  me  they  had 
no  protections,  and  I  made  that  objection,  and  observed,  tliat  if 
they  could  get  protections  I  woi  d  ship  them,  which  was  done.— 
These  two  men  were  taken  by  the  British  lieutenant. 

In  the  year  1800  while  I  was  at  Cherbourg  in  France,  a  sea- 
man by  the  name  of  John  Baptiste  Sire,  whom  I  had  shipped  at 
Boston  in  June  of  that  year,  and  who  called  himself  a  native  of 
Louisiana,  having  somedifficulty  with  the  mate  of  my  vessel,  ap- 
plied for  his  discharge ;  and  on  my  refusing  it,  he  made  applica- 
tion to  the  Commissary  of  Police  at  Cherbourg  declaring  himself 
to  be  a  Frenchman. — The  Commissary  sent  me  the  order  to  dis- 


87 


squently  sinc^^ 
rned,  I  should 
they  had  been 

RRADEN. 


,  mariner,  de- 
[  about  twenty 

els  under  my 
—that  was  iu 
ma,  about  the 
a  on  the  west- 
ight  of  a  Brit- 
ed  by  the  lieii- 
e  with  my  pa- 
r  shipping  pa- 
ited  with,  and 
ler  as  to  leave 
e,  and  he  said 
s  to  his  officer 
returned  to  my 
f  my  men  that 
?  of  his ;  as  he 
pibed  to  me  as 
sailors  had  in> 
;  to  them,  had 
i.  The  other 
d  brogu<^ ;  his 
IS  which  they 
to  me  they  had 
erved,  tliat  if 
hi  was  done.—-* 
it. 

France,  a  sea- 
ad  shipped  at 
slf  a  ualivc  of 
ny  vessel,  ap- 
nade  appliea- 
larine  himself 
e  order  to  dis- 


* 


i^htirge  him  which  is  hereto  annexed ;  he  came  to  the  ship  himself, 
accompanied  by  a  soldijRr  and  presented  me  the  order  and  I  dis- 
charged him.  He  had  a  paper  in  the  French  language  which  he 
had  procured  in  Louisiana  and  which  he  called  an  American  pro- 
tection— His  name  was  in  the  muster  roll,  as  a  Louisianian;  but 
not  in  the  certiiieate  of  citizenship  which  is  usually  put  on  the 
hack  of  the  muster  roll — He  had  shipped  for  the  voyage  out  and 
home. 

I  afterwards  w  cnt  from  Cherbourg  to  Bordeaux  and  being 
«hort  of  hands,  shipped  two  young  men,  who  appeared  to  be 
Frenclimen  by  the  broken  English  they  spoke  ;  both  of  them  had 
American  <:ailors'  protections  ;  I  succeeded  in  getting  only  one  of 
them  on  board ;  when  I  got  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  river,  an 
olHeer  from  the  guard  ship  came  on  board  and  demanded  two 
Freue'i  sailors  of  me,  saying  that  the  commandant  had  received 
information  from  the  Commissary  of  Bordeaux,  which  stated  that 
I  had  taken  away  two  Frenchmen  from  Bor  leaux  I  answered, 
that  only  one  was  on  board,  and  after  a  stiaCt  search,  not  being 
able  to  find  the  second  man,  and  perceiving  that  my  steward 
spoke  French,  insistedupon  taking  him — This  steward  was  an 
indented  apprentice  who  had  been  with  me  two  years,  and  was  a 
Genoese  5  his  name  was  Jerome  Rolla.  I  applied  to  the  Com- 
mandant for  the  release  of  this  man.  but  without  success,  as  the 
Commandant  insisted  that  Genoa  belonged  to  the  French,  and 
that  the  man  was  considered  as  a  French  citizen,  and  he  must 
take  him,  I  showed  the  Commandant  the  indentures,  but  he  paid 
no  regard  to  them,  and  kept  this  man  as  well  as  the  other. 

I  applied  to  my  correspondent  to  solicit  the  release  of  my  ap- 
prentice arid  then  left  the  river — about  twelve  months  after,  the 
man  returned  to  me  in  the  United  States,  and  informed  me  that 
my  correspondent  had  obtained  his  release  by  giving  bond  that 
he,  Rolla,  should  return  to  Genoa  by  land,  which  he  did. 

From  the  year  1795  to  1800  I  was  usually  on  India  voyages  j 
from  1800  to  1807  on  European  voyages. 

JOSIAH  ORNB. 
Suffolk,  ss.     Feb.  15, 1813. 
Sworn  to  before 

Alex.  Townsend  J,  Peace, 


BEPARTEMENT 
DE  LA  MANCHE. 

V  1  L  L  E 
DE  CHERBOURG. 


TJ  rk  T    r  r^  t^ 


Cherbourg,  le  38  Juillet,  an  1806, 
13  de  la  Republique  Frapgaise. 


Le  Commissaire  de  Police  de  la  villa 
de  Cherbourg,  requiert  le  capitaine  Josi a  m 


t\ 


wtiutmiiviusiSi    «»    jj!  t-t-n.  v^mz.!  It-tztic. 


' ^ ^  Fxchange,  de  faire  debarquxr  Jean  Ba- 
tiste Sire,  matelot  sur  sons  bord,  reconnu  Francais  des  isles  de 
iit.  Pierre  Miquelon—^dont  lafamille  hnbite  la  ville  de  ^t.  thah- 

(5 


n? 


ill! 


M 


'  nni 


3il 


i«  mptaine  Ornefera  en  meme  Umps  de'barquer  la  malle  et  effets 
dB  ce  vmrin.    Far  le  C're  de police.  GUIFFJRT 


Department 
OF  La  Manche, 


[TRANSLATION.] 

Cherbourg,  2Sth  July,  1806, 
and  iSth  of  the  French  Republick. 


The  Commissary  of  Police  of  the 
city  of  Cherbourg,  requires  Capt.  Josiah 
Ome,  master  of  the  American  brig  Ex- 

,,„^ change,  to  s^snd  on  shore  Jean  Baptiste 

Sire,  a  seaman  on  boai'd,  ascertained  to  be  a  Frenchman  of  the 
IslandsofSt.  Pierre  Miquelon— whose  relations  are  inhabitants 
of  the  town  of  St.  Malo.  Captain  Orne  will  at  the  same  time 
oause  to  be  sent  on  shore  the  chest  and  effects  of  the  said  seaman. 


City  of  Cherbourg. 

POLICE. 

.  t 


By  the  Commissary  of  Police. ' 


GUIFFART. 


'.*'.        ! 


'i  liiii! 


I 


[No.  16.] 
Nathaniel  Hooper's  DeposHioni 

r  Nathaniel  Hooper,  of  Marblehead,  Merchant,  do  depose  and  ■ 
«ivl-that  I  have  been  eni?aged  in  commerce  and  navigation  Avith 
mv  father  and  brothers  for  about  nineteen  years  past,  and  lor 
about  seven  years  previous  to  the  Embargo,  we  employed  u^u- 
ally  upon  an  average  about  fifty  seamen  m  our  vessels  Wt 
have  never  had  any  men  impressed  from  any  of  our  vessels,  that 

^Ihavrheardofthe  following  cases  of  seamen  from  Marble- 

^' Pa^Nfewhall,  of  that  tbwn^  sailed  from  Marblehead  in  the 
•chooner  Abigail  in  the  year  1809, 1  think.  The  vessel  \ya«  con- 
fiscated by  the  French  government  at  St.  Sebastians,  said  New- 
ball  enteredion  board  a  French  vessel  and  was  taken  at  the  Isle 
of  France  when  tliat  island  was  taken  by  the  English  ;  he  was 
allowed  to  be  considered  as  a  French  prisoner,  or  to  enter  into 
the  British  ilaval  service,  and  agreed  to  the  latter.      He  atter- 
wards  wrote  tohis  friends  in  Marblehead,  and  informed  them 
aiat  if  the  master  of  ilie  schooner  Abigail  (which  he  went  m 
from  Marblehead)  would  certify  that  lie,  Newhall,  had  been 
compelled  to  ciuer  into  inc  rrcu-ca  scrvi^^,  -...y  ^..^,...    -       -^- 
!liHcliarge  him  ;  but  the  Captain  of  the  Abigail  could  not  do  it, 
'phis  information  1  had  from  his  brother  iii  law  Capt.  Henry  N. 
Ouiner.     He  has  not  returned  home. 
About  eigUt  years  ago,  four  or  five  men  were  taken  by  f^ 


le  et  effets' 
JIRT. 


1806, 

pfublick. 

i)lice  of  tlie 
apt.  Josiali 
,n  brig  Ex- 
Lii  Baptist© 
man  of  the 
inhabitants 
!  same  time 
aid  seaman. 

FFART, 


<8g 

?BrItiah  ship  out  of  a  fishing  regsel  belonging  to  Marblehea*^, 
,and  were  restored  immediately  on  arriving  at  Halifax.  1  pre- 
sume they  were  Marblehead  men,  and  I  presume  they  had  not 
protections,  as  the  fishermen  did  not  usually  take  protections  at 
that  period  5  but  I  do  not  know  how  the  fact  was  in  this  case. 
Jacob  Wadden,  of  Marblehead,  was  discharged  in  France  from 
an  American  vessel,  that  was  sequestered  there  (under  the  Ber- 
lin Decrees  in  the  December  after  it  was  published)  and  he  was 
afterwards  found  to  be  on  board  of  a  British  jnan  of  war  ;  I 
have  never  heard  that  he  was  impressed,  and  on  application  by 
liis  friends  about  two  or  three  years  ago  he  was  released.  I  d^ 
not  recollect  any  American  impressed  from  a  Marblehead  m^- 
ch  ant  vessel  by  the  British. 

NATHANIEL  HOOPER. 

Suffolk,  ss.  Feh  ±5. 1813. — Sworn  to  before  me 

Alexander  Townsend  Just,  T&iQe* 


[No.  17.] 


I  depose  and^ 
gation  with 
st,  and  for 
iployed  usu- 


pssejs. 


We 

v^essels,  that 

m  Marble- 
head in   the 
sel  wa«  con- 
5,  said  New- 
in  at  the  Isle 
sh  ;  he  was 
,0  enter  into^ 
He  after- 
ormed  them 
he  went  iu 
.11,  had  been 

-h,' ■''''■       ' J'" 

uld  not  do  it, 
pt.  Henry  N. 

taken  by  »» 


Benjamin  T.  Reed's  JDe-posUion.  ' 

I,  Benjamin  T.  Reed,  of  Marblehead  in  the  County  of  Essex, 
.merchant,  depose  and  say,  that  I  have,  with  my  brother,  been 
engaged  in  trade  and  navigation,  for  about  eighteen  years  past. 
Before  the  Embargo,  we  usually  employed  two  vessels  annual- 
ly, the  crews  of  which  would  be  from  twelve  to  fifteen  men — we 
never  had  any  men  impressed  from  our  vessels  previous  to  the 
Embargo,  to  my  recollection — Since  that. time,  viz.  in  July  1808, 
two  of  my  vesseU  sailed  from  Marblehead  for  the  W.  Indies, 
and  were  taken  on  their  return  voyage  by  the  English — The 
men  all  returned  except  one,  viz.  Charles  Rose,  (1  think  that 
was  his  name)  he  shipped  in  Marblehead  as  an  J^merican,  but  I 
objected  to  his  being  shipped  at  the  time,  to  my  mate  (who  had* 
engaged  him)  because  he  was  an  Englishman  as  I  then  thought, 
and  as  he  nftcrwarda  acknowledged  to  me  hims«'f ;  but  he  jpro' 
cured  an  x-lmerican  protection,  and  he  went  in  the  vessel,  which 
was  either  the  schooner  Lively,  ur  the  schooner  Ocean.  He 
did  not  pretend  to  be  naturalized.  He  first  brought  with  him 
a  protection  which  did  not  answer  to  his  person  ;  and  then  went 
.away  and  obtained  another  which  agreed  with  his  person.  He 
was'impresed  in  the  West  Indies   by  a  British  ship  of  war, 

!*..»».    ««*LiaI«      Ik^     tflAciaMl-a#l      nistfl      n«/\f    kanir   irk    \f  a  rKl  All0».fl    ill   n^hnif^ 

three  er  six  months  after  he  had  been  taken. 

During  the  last  five  years,  I  have  employed  for  myself,  and  aj 

agent  for  others,  from  fifty  to  eighty  seamen,  annually,  upon  an 

^average — I  do  not  know  of  au  instance  of  any  one  of  them  being 


4# 


V 


■3l' 


I 


impressed,  and  have  generally  settled  nilli  the  men  myself  at 
the  end  of  their  voyages. 

I  have  lieard  of  the  following  cases  of  seamen  heloncinff  to 
Marblehead,  who  are  now  absent viz. 

John  Smith,  of  that  town,  sailed  f  ,r  France  abont  1807,  a'ltl 
there  enter.id  on  board  a  French  privateer,  and  was  taken  by 
an  Jjinglish  armed  shij)  and  entered  on  board  of  her,  where  ho 
remained  till  last  spring,  since  which  time  his  family  has  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  him,  mentioning  that  he  had  been  released 
Irom  (he  service,  but  was  detained  as  a  prisoner  of  war  and  was 
to  come  home  in  the  first  cartel,  this  information  I  had  from  his 
sister. 

William  Hooper,  of  Marblehead,  Has  been  on  hoard  of  a 
Jiritish  ship  or  ships  for  several  years  ;  two  years  as-o  his  Fath- 
er received  letters  from  him  dated  on  board  the  Elizabeth  a 
seventy  four  gun  ship  in  Falmouth,  in  which  he  says  he  had 
made  application  for  his  discharge  to  two  different  Consuls,  but 
>vithout  effect,  and  was  now  determined  to  get  away  himself  as 
soon  as  lie  had  liberty  to  go  on  shore,  which  he  had  been  prom- 
ised thp^cnsuing  week,  or  week  after  that.  He  has  not  been 
heard  of  since  by  his  friends  This  information  I  had  from  his 
father.  He  is  supposed  by  his  friends  to  be  impressed  ;  I  do 
not  know  how  the  fact  is,  nor  did  his  father  inform  me. 

Ihomas  Curtis,  of  Marblehead,  entered  on  board  the  iricate 
Essex  about  1798,  or  17  9,  and  about  a  year  ago  his  friends  had 
Jetters  irom  hnn  requesting  them  to  send  out  a  protection  that 
he  might  get  a  release,  which  was  accordingly  sent  out  and  they 
have  not  heard  from  him  since.  This  information  I  had  from 
his  aunt,  Airs.  Collier  ;  I  asked  whether  he  was  impressed,  but 
she  could  not  say  ;  she  however,  supposed  he  was  impressed. 

bamuel  Brimblecom,  of  Marblehead,  was  also  on  board  a  Brit- 
ish ship  ;  supposed  to  have  been  impressed,  hut  he  has  since 
returned,  upon  application  having  been  made. 

John  Holden,  who  was  impressed  in  England  has  been  dis- 
charged, upon  application,  and  is  at  home. 

Richard  Peircip,  sailed  from  Marblehead  seven  or  eight  years 
ago  ;  got  liberty  to  go  on  ^hore  in  the  Streights,  and  was  left 
hy  his  captain  for  alledged  misconduct ;  he  has  written  home 
(about  four  years  ago)  that  he  was  impressed   and   desired   to 

Jjave  CMtificates  forwarded  for  his  release,  which   was   done 

There  has  been  no  account  of  him  since.  This  information  is 
Irom  h|s  uncle,  Mr.  Peirce. 

Philip  Brimblecom,  sailed  from  Marblehead  about  eighteen 
or  nineteen  years  since  and  was  impressed  with  some  others,  all 
01  wnom  were  released  except  him,  as  his  Caplain  did  not  apply 
lor  him.  This  was  in  the  West  Indies  about  the  year  1798,  or 
1794,  or  at  the  commencement  of  the  disturbances  in  (he  French 
>\  est  Indies.    This  information  is  from  Mrs.  Wooldridge,  an 


4i 


aunt  of  his.  They  have  not  heard  from  lum,  for  six  years.  Jl 
ilo  not  know  whether  application  has  ever  heen  made  for  his  re- 
lease or  not. 

Paul  Newhall,  I  know  nothing  more  of  than  has  heen  stated 
by  Mr.  Nathaniel  Hooper,  in  his  deposition. 

Israel  Eaton,  was  also  on  board  of  a  British  shin,  and  has 
been  released  on  application.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  was 
impressed  or  not,  he  has  returned  home. 

Bejijamin  Ashton,  sailed  from  Marblehead  about  six  years 
ago  (before  the  Embargo)  and  entered  on  board  a  Fi*ench  pri- 
vateer, which  was  taken  by  a  British  vessel  of  war  ;  Ashton  en- 
tered in  the  British  ship,  and  was  discharged  last  March  ;  af- 
ter which,  he  shipped  on  board  of  a  British  Indiaman  on  a  voy- 
age of  fourteen  months,  and  has  not  since  been  heard  from. — 
This  information  was  given  ma  by  his  wife. 

William  Homan,  who  is  absent  from  Marblehead,  and  is  sup- 
posed to  be  on  board  a  British  ship  of  war,  I  know  nothing'of. 

BENJAMIN  T.  REED. 

Suffolk,  ss.  Feb.  15,  1813. — Sworn  to  before 

Alexander  Townsend,  Justiee  Peace, 


lis- 


[No.  18.] 
William  Gra.y's  Dejjosition, 

T,  William  Gray,  of  Boston,  in  the  County  of  Suffolk,  Esquire, 
do  depose  and  say,  that  I  have  been  engaged  in  commerce  and 
navigation  forty  or  fifty  years,  and  have  for  the  last  fifteen  or 
twenty  years  employed  about  three  hundred  seamen  annually 
upon  an  average. 

I  recollect  the  followinr;  cases  of  impressments  and  detentions 
of  my  seamen.  In  the  year  1811  whila  one  of  my  vessels,  the 
Rachel,  was  at  Leith  in  Scotland,  two  of  my  men,  to  wit,  Sam- 
uel Tuck,  and  I  think  Israel  Foster,  were  impressed  from  the 
vessel ;  one  of  them  I  understood  escaped  from  the  man  of  war, 
and  reached  my  vessel  before  she  left  Leith ;  the  other  I  also  un- 
derstood effected  his  escape  with  the  aid  of  a  waterman  at  Liver- 
pool. 1  cannot  recollect  any  other  eases  of  impressments  by  the 
British  from  my  vessels  ;  but  from  thf-  multiplicity  of  my  busi- 
ness, it  is  almost  impossible  for  me  to  remember  the  individual 
cases  :  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  aforenamed  Tuck  had  a  pro- 
tection. 

I  recollect  no  cases  of  impressments  and  detentions  by  the 
French,  except  the  three  Suedes  taken  soon  after  the  affair  of 
the  Chesapeake,  and  which  are  stated  in  my  letter  to  Cel.  Piclc- 
ering  in  the  year  1808. 


^ 


't; ! 


^  I  have  had  ^vhole  erews  taken  in  my  ressels  when  they  liaTj> 
teen  captured,  both  by  the  English  and  French  ;  but  1  do  not 
mean  to  say,  that  the  men  in  those  cases  were  impressed  or  de- 
tained by  those  nations. 

The  other  cases  within  my  knowledge,  are  four  men  belong- 
ing to  Salem,  which  were  taken  in  the  Cynthia,  John  H.  An- 
drews, master,  about  1806.  I  made  application  myself  for  one 
of  them  (Samuel  Shephard)  and  he  wa?  released.  I  do  not  re- 
collect hearing  what  became  of  the  other  three. 

Another  case,  about  the   year  1807,  wa«  that  of  four  fisher- 
men, belonging  to  the  Northfields  in  Salem,  who  were  taken  off 
-«t  Halifax,  by  a  British  ship  j  the  British  officer,  as  I  understood, 

assigned  as  a  reason,  that  they  *  J  no  protections  ;  to  which 
they  replied,  that  it  was  not  customary  for  fishermen  to  have 
them.  I  was  concerned  in  sending  evidence  of  their  citizenship 
to  Halifax,  by  a  vessel  hired  for  the  purpose,  and  they  were 
released  upon  that  application.  I  think  their  names  were  Sy- 
monds  and  Skerry. 

I  have  lately  receiitred  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  the  supercargo 
«f  the  ship  Pekin,  belonging  to'Philadelpma,  on  which  1  am  an 
underwriter ;  the  iettcr  is  dated  the  15th  July,  1812,  at  Calcut- 
ta, and  states,  that  iia  February  preceding,  while  he  was  at  or 
near  Batavia.  roads,  the  men  of  war,  that  had  been  ordered  on  ' 
an  expedition,  impressed  every  seaman  belonging  to  the  vessel ; 
the  letter  gives  no  account  of  what  has  become  of  the  men  since. 

The  most  recent  case  in  my  knowledge,  is  that  of  the  barque 
Mary,  (belonging  to  my  brother  Samuel  Gray.)  On  her  pas- 
sage from  Boston  to  Savannah,  in  November  or  December  last, 
a  lad  belonging  to  Beverly  was  impressed  (by  the  Southamp- 
ton I  think)  ;  the  lad  was  a  Portuguese  or  Spaniard  by  birth, 
which  was  the  reason  assigned,  when  he  was  impressed  ;  and  I 
understood'  that  he  had  a  protection,  and  was  bound  as  an  ap- 
prentice in  Beverly. 

I  think  I  can  recollect  three  or  four  cases  more,  in  which  I 
have  been  requested  to  apply  for  the  discharge  of  men  impress- 
ed, generally  from  Salem.  I  recollect  one  other  Salem  man, 
named  Thomas  Driver,  who  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  the  Nile ; 
l>nt  from  the  circumstance,  that  a  sum  of  money  passed  through 
my  hands,  for  the  benefit  of  his  famiiy,  which  I  tjiink  was  a 
part  of  the  subscription  money,  raised  at  Lloyd's  coffee  house  in 
London)  I  am  inclined  to  think  he  had  entered  into  the  British 
service ;  but  I  do  not  know  how  the  fact  was. 

I  do  not  recollect  any  other  information  on  tiie  subject  of  the 

WILLIAM  GRAY. 

SjfffoUCfSS.  I^'.b.  16, 1818.— Sworn  to  before 

^  Alexander  Towxsendj  Justice  Feace. 


4itt 


they  lia-rii 
I;  1  do  not 
sed  or  de- 

!n  belong- 
m  H.  An- 
'Jf  for  one 
lo  not  re- 

lur  fisher- 
taken  off 
iderstood, 
to  which 
n  to  have 
itizenship 
thev  were 
were  Sy- 

ipereargo 
^  1  am  an 
X  Calcut- 
vas  at  or 
rdered  on  ' 
le  vessel ; 
ten  since, 
le  barque 
her  pas- 
iber  last, 
juthamp- 
by  birth, 
d  ;  and  I 
as  an  ap- 

i  which  I 
impress- 
leni  man, 
the  Nile ; 
[  through 
Ilk  was  a 
house  in 
e  British 

li  of  the 

RAY. 

Feacc. 


[*Addition  to  the  Hon.  Mr.  Gray^s  Beposition.'] 

t  can  now  add  to  the  foregoing,  tlie  following  cases.  James 
iJoburn  of  Easton,  Maryland,  who  was  taken  by  the  Swordfish, 
American  privateer,  when  she  captured  an  English  vessel  late- 
ly. He  had  been  impressed,  as  his  brother  states  in  a  letter  to 
iiie,  about  nine  years  ago.  His  last  protection  (which  his  broth, 
er  forwarded  to  me,)  1  find  is  dated,  June  4, 1804.  He  was  al- 
lowed by  the  Marshal  to  go  upon  his  parole,  before  I  received 
tbe  letter  from  his  brother,  and  the  Marshal  has  not  seen  him 
•ince,  but  will  discharge  him  when  he  appears. 

Two  of  the  seamen  also,  that  were  taken  in  the  Macedonian 
sometime  since  applied  to  me  for  employment ;  they  said  they 
were  Americans,  and  that  they  had  sailed  in  ray  employ,  but 
I  did  not  know  them.    They  said  they  had  been  impressea. 

I  have  understood,  that  nine  of  the  seamen  taken  in  th« 
Guerriere,  were  impressed  Americans,  and  have  been  discharg- 
ed by  the  Marshal,  since  she  was  captured. 

Two  men  have  been  landed  from  the  Constitution,  that  wer» 
taken  by  her  in  the  Java,  in  the  late  battle  ;  they  are  Ameri- 
cans as  I  am  informed,  and  have  been  discharged  as  such,  and 
had  been  impressed. 

The  proportion  of  foreigners  in  the  merchant  service  of  th« 
United  States,  varies  much  in  different  places.  In  Massachu- 
setts Prop.  ,  I  should  think  the  proportion  would  be,  including 
foreigners  of  all  nations,  from  fifteen  to  twenty  per  cent. ;  of 
British  subjects,  1  should  think  not  more  than  five  per  cent. 

The  Protest  of  the  captain  of  the  Pekin,  (the  ship  above  men- 
tioned) does  not  make  mention  of  the  impressment  of  the  crew, 
which  is  stated  in  the  above  letter.  WILLIAM  GRAY. 

Buffolkf  ss.  Feb,  19,  1813 Sworn  to  before 

Benjamin  Weld,  Justice  Peace, 

"[Letter  referred  to  in  the  foregoing  Deposition.'] 

Salem,  Jan.  8th,  180S 
Sir, — Our  mutual  friend,  Mr,  Goodhue,  has  shewn  me  a  let- 
ter, in  which  I  think  you  ask  what  is  the  extent  of  the  complaint 
against  the  British  for  impressments  of  our  seamen.     I  have  , 
taken  the  liberty  to  give  you  my  opinion,  that  since  the  Ches* 
apeake  affair,  we  have  had  no  cause  of  c      ilaint.    I  eanno^ 
find  one  singie  instance,  where  they  have  ta     ^  one  man  out  of 
a  merchant  vessel.      I  have  had  more  than  t     nty  vesseis  ar- 
rive in  the  time,  without  one  instance  of  a  mans  being  taken  by 
them,  except  three  Swedes  that  were  taken  out  bv  a  French 
ft'i£fate.      ^  ^ —  '  •  "    '  ."'--- 


T    n  a  vr  A      trw\  n  dl  /-. 


^■P   ♦V.^  - Ji_"l-_   _i»  _ii  iU - 


vessels  that  have  arrived  in  this  vicinity,  and  cannot  find  any 
complaints  against  the  British  cruizers.  I  think  the  British  en- 
gaging that  our  National  ships  shall  not  be  searched,  ought  ti» 
satisfy  us  on  that  head.  I  presume,  the  only  cause  of  the  em- 
bargo was  the  threat  of  Bonaparte,  that  ho  would  put  his  B«- 


w 


J;'i 


M 


444 


(tree  •(  2ist  Nov.  in  force.  This  I  think,  was  not  snflleidnt  U 
justify  so  strong  a  measure.  May  we  expect  the  embargo  will 
be  oif  soon,  or  must  we  wait  to  hear  from  France  ?  When  you 
Iiave  a  moment's  leisure,  will  you  write  what  is  the  prospect  of 
the  times,  as  particular  as  you  cau  cousistcutly  ?  You  know  my 
whole  estate  is  in  navigation  a:id  foreign  comaierce  ;  and  it  is  a 
very  eventful  moment  with  such  property.  1  cannot  think  it 
possible,  that  we  shall  he  mad  enough  to  go  to  war  with  either 
•f  the  two  great  nations. 

I  am  respectfully,  Sir,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  GRAY. 
Hon'ble  Timothy  Pickering, 

Senator^  U,  S.  Washington, 

':'-'  [No.  19.3 

OziAS  Goodwin's  Deposition, 

I,  Ozias  Goodwin,  of  Boston,  merchant,  do  depose  and  say- 
that  I  was  master  of  a  vessel  about  eighteen  years  from  the  port 
of  Boston,  until  the  year  1799 — and  since  that  time  have  been 
concerned  in  commerce  and  navigation. 

The  following  is  the  only  case  of  men  impressed  from  any  of 
my  vessels. — In  the  year  179^,  George  Stillman,  of  Boston,  was 
taken  from  the  ship  Diana,  under  my  command,  at  Bristol,  in 
England,  but  was  returned  to  me  the  next  day,  on  my  applica- 
tion to  the  officer  of  the  press-i^ang.  At  that  time  American 
seamen  did  not  carry  protections  ;  the  greater  part  of  my  crew 
were  Englishmen,  on  that  voyage. 

In  one  other  case  of  American  seamen  within  my  knowledge, 
the  seaman,  viz.  Seth  Townsend,  of  Boston  was  supposed  to  be 
impressed  ;  but  in  the  letter  which  he  wrote  to  his  mother, 
which  I  read,  about  the  year  1807,  he  himself  stated  that  he 
had  been  on  shore  in  Liverpool,  and  had  imprudently  entered 
into  the  British  service,  but  now  wished  his  mother  to  procura 
his  discharge. 

I  recollect  ne'other  cases  of  impressments  or  detentions  from 
,  the  town  of  Boston. 
%*  021        JOODWIN. 

Suffolk f  ss, — Feb.  16,  1813.     Sworn  to  boiore 

Alexander  Townsend,  Justice  Peace, 


'7? 

T'- 
'4 

'  h 

[ 
,1 

1 

[No.  30.] 
Theodore  Lyman's  Deposition, 

I,  Theodore  Lyman,  of  Boston,  in  the  county  of  Suffolk,  mer- 
«hant,  do  depose  and  say,  that  I  have  been  engaged  iu  commerce 
and  navigation  about  thirty  five  years,  and  have  employed  not 
less  than  an  hundred  seamen  annually  upon  an  average. 


45 


le'ieiit  U 
trgo  will 

hftii  you 
»spoct  of 
:iiow  my 
1(1  it  is  a 

think  it 
lU  either 

ant, 


id  say— 
the  port 
ve  been 

1  any  of 
ton,  was 
istol,  in 
appliea- 
merican 
my  crew 

►vvledge, 
led  to  be 
mother, 
that  he 
entered 
procura 

ns  from 

IN. 

Peace, 


Ik,  mcr- 
immerce 
lyed  »ot 


>' 


I  have  no  recollection  of  but  two  instances  where  any  persons 
have  been  taken  out  of  my  vessels.  One  was  about  the  year 
isori  or  1806  ;  a  master  of  one  of  my  vessels  (Capt.  Barker  Ba- 
ker) being  on  a  voyage  from  Boston  to  Amsterdam,  was  board- 
ed in  the  English  channel,  by  a  British  vessel  of  war,  which 
took  out  of  my  ship,  a  Dutch  boy,  that  was  a  servant  to  Capt. 
Baker  ;  the  boy  had  no  protection  nor  was  entered  on  the  ship- 
ping paper  ;  but  I  think  Capt.  Baker  had  brought  him  out  from 
HoUand  the  voyage  before,  and  kept  him  in  his  family.  I 
do  not  know  what  has  become  of  the  boy  since  ;  Capt.  Baker 
did  not,  to  my  recollection,  apply  for  his  release  ;  but  I  do  not 
know  the  fact. 

The  other  case  was  this,  about  the  year  1806  or  1807  wlien  one 
of  my  vessels  was  on  her  return  from  Calcutta,  she  had  on  board 
a  Lascar,  that  was  taken  on  board  in  India.  Bhe  "vas  boarded 
hy  a  British  vessel  of  war,  and  vvhen  the  British  otucer  came  on 
board,  the  Lascar  expressed  a  wish  to  go  on  board  the  English. 
Tcssel ;  the  master  of  my  vessel  objected  to  his  going,  but  the 
British  officer  said,  if  the  man  wished  to  go  with  him  he  should 
take  him,  which  he  accordingly  did. 

From  the  year  1794  till  within  three  years  past  I  have  usual- 
ly had  eight  vessels  at  sea  annually  ;  and  in  no  instances  except 
the  above  have  I  had  any  complaints  from  ray  masters  of  their 
men  being  taken  from  them,  nor  has  any  person  ever  applied  to 
me  to  obtain  the  release  of  any  seaman  in  my  employ,  who  was 
alleged  to  be  impressed  or  detained  abroad. 

THEODORE  LYMAN. 

Suffolk  ss.  Boston,  Feb.  16,  1813.  Then  Theodore  Lyman 
Esq.  above  named,  made  solemn  oath  to  the  truth  of  the  above 
declaration  by  him  subscribed  before  me, 

W,  H.  Sumner,  Justice  of  the  Peace, 


[No.  21.] 
James  Perkins'  JDeposition. 

I  James  Perkins,  of  Boston,  in  the  county  of  Suffolk,  vdtf- 
chant,do  depose  and  say,  that  for  the  last  twenty  years  past,  my 
brother  and  myself,  who  are  partners  in  trade,  have  employed 
from  one  hundred  to  an  hundred  and  fifty  seamen  annually  up- 
on an  average. 


_      4-     lka«4>       ^^m/%  *%     «Mn4-««  *«  v«#.     •.*« 


MI  a. I. 


man  has  been  taken  from  any  of  our  vessels.  In  the  year  1807 
three  men  were  taken  from  our  ship  Hazard  (then  lying  in  Can- 
ton river)  William  Smith,  master.  Those  three  men  were 
shipped  in  Boston  ;  the  captain  on  his  return,  informed  me  that 
the  three  men  were  foreigne'rs ',  one  of  them,  named  Mc  EIroy, 


46 


I  hare  seen  since  ;  he  is  a  foreigner  to  my  knowledge.    I  can.- 
not  say  whether  they  had  protections  or  not. 

I  have  never  in  any  instance  whatever,  had  eomplainfs  made 
by  tk  Piasters  of  our  vessels,  of  men  being  taken  fi  om  them, 
except  the  above,  according  to  the  best  of  my  recollection. 

JAMES  PERKINS. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  persons    taken  from  the 

Hazard,  as  stated  in  the  above  deposition. viz. 

James  Beaton, 
Thomas  Taylor, 
Barney  Mc  Elroy. 

JAMES  PERKINS. 

Suffolk,  ss.  Boston  Feb.  16, 1813.  James  Perkins  made  oath 
to  the  truth  of  the  above  declaration  by  him  subscribed  before 
"i6>  W.  H  Sumner,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 


HI 


[No.  22.] 

V'"-  .  '  .  . 

Thomas  H.  Perkins'  Dejposition, 

I  Thomas  H.  Perkins,  of  Boston,  merchant,  do  depose  and 
say,  that  I  am  a  partner  with   m;^  brother  James   Perkiny, 
(who  has  this  day  given  his   deposition)  have  always  had  the 
particular  care  of  that  part  of  our  business  that  relates  to  the 
shipping  of  our  seamen.      We  have  always  employed  at  least 
from  an  hundred  to  an  hundred  and  fifty  seamen  annually,  upon 
an  average,  and  I  do  not  recollect  any  instances  of  impressments 
*  except  of  the  three  men  mentioned  by  him,  who  were  foreigners. 
In  our  vessels,  we  have  usually  had  a  fifth  part  and  I  think,  a 
fourth  part  of  our  crews  foreigners,  chiefly  English  and  Irish- 
men.    In  repeated  instances,  foreigners  have  applied  to  me  for 
employment,  and  stated  that  they' had  no  protections  and  did 
not  wish  to  go  to  the  trouble  of  getting  them,  till  they  were  sure 
of  i  nployraent,  and  that  they  could  get  protections  through  the 
listers  of  the   boarding  houses  in  town.      In  several  instances 
.they  have  brought  me  protections  that  did  not  agree  with  their 
persons,  and  told  me  they  gave  two  dollars  a  piece  for  them. 

The  same  seaman  will  often  procure  more  than  one  protec- 
tion, by  going  to  the  Custom  House  and  proving  by  his  own 
oath  or  that  of  others,  that  he  had  lostJiis  first  Drotection. 

T.  h!  PERKINS. 

1  further  state,  that  according  to  my  best  knowledge  and  be- 
lief, the  house  of  J.  &  T.  H.  Perkins  has  employed,  in  vessels 
fitted  for  sea  by  them  from  this  place,  upwards  of  twenty  fiv« 
hundred  persons,  from  the  year  1793. 

T.  H.PERKINS* 


47 

Saffblk,  fs.  Boston  Feb.  16, 1813.  Then  Thomas  H.  Perkins 
Esq.  above  named  made  solemn  oath  to  th  *  c-ruth  of  the  above 
declaration  by  him  subscrii^cJ,  before  me, 

W.  H.  Sumner,   Justice  of  the  Peace. 


[No.  ;^.3.] 
Deposiiion  of  Aaron  Breed. 

I,  Aaron  Breed,  of  Lynn,  in  the  county  of  Essex,  do  dcu- 
pose  and  say- 
That  I  know  of  no  cases  of  impressments  from  the  town  of 
Lynn,  of  my  own  knowledge  ;  but  the  following  cstses  from  that 
town  I  have  heard  of. 

Joseph  Breed,  a  son  of  Frederick  Breed  ;  Benjamin  Lyndser, 
son  of  Mary  Lyndsey,  who  left  home  the  1 1th  October,  1805, 
and  was  impressed  in  May,  1 806,  by  the  sloop  of  war  Hazard  ; 
he  died  on  board,  as  it  is  believed,  about  two  years  ago  ;  I  can- 
not say  whether  any  application  was  made  to  the  American  oc 
British  government  for  his  discharge  j  I  am  inclined  to  think 
not ;  nor  do  I  know  whether  he  had  a  protection ;  I  think  he 
wrote  home  that  he  was  impressed  r.t  Plymouth,  in  England. 
Benjamin  Gray,  about  June  last,  informed  me  that  he 
left  Lynn,  and  went  to  Boston,  at  t)ie  age  of  four  years,  and 
there  staid  till  he  was  twenty  ;  then  he  followed  the  sea,  and 
sailed  out  of  one  of  the  southern  states  ;  and  was  impressed  by 
the  British,  and  there  kept  in  different  ships  for  seventeen, 
years.  He  then  procured  his  discharge  by  means  of  the  consul 
in  some  foreign  port. 

William  Flint  left  Lynn  about  1791.  In  1800,  he  was  seen 
in  Portland,  by  Ezra  Mudge,  of  Lynn,  who  informed  me,  that 
Flint  told  him,  that  he  had  been  on  board  of  a  British  man  of 
war  ;  but  I  do  not  recollect  that  Flint  told  Mudge  that  he  had 
been  impressed,  nor  how  he  had  been  discharged. 

AARON  BREED. 

SUFFOLK   SS. 

BosionjFeb.  18,  1813.— The  within  affidavit  sworn  to  biB»  4* 
fore  me, 

Alkx.  Towi?sendj  Jus.  Peaec^ 


■"Sf  ■, 


48 


I 


[x^o.  34.] 
Deposition  of  Nahum  Mitchell. 

I  Nahum  Mitchell,  of  Bridgewater,  in  the  county  of  Plym- 
outh, depose  and  say- 
That  I  was  born  and  have  always  lived  in  Bridgewater.  I 
have  never  heard  of  any  cases  of  persons  impressed  from  that 
town.  There  never  was  any  man  of  the  name  of  William  Rob- 
inson within  my  knowledge  impressed  from  that  place.  I  have 
been  a  selectman  five  years ;  but  not  within  ten  years  past. 

NAHUM  MITCHELL. 

SUFFOLK  S3. 

i'Vd.  1 6,  1 8 1 3 — Sworn  to  before 

Alex.  Townsend,  Jua.  Peace. 


kI 


* 


[No.  25.] 
•  Deposition  of  John  Thomas. 


I,  John  Thomas,  of  Kingston,  in  the  County  of  Plymouth, 
esquire,  depose  and  say 

That  I  was  born,  and  have  always  lived  m  that  place.  Antho- 
ny Tamer,  a  resident  in  thai  town,  was  a  Hamburgher  by  birth, 
and  lived  in  Kingston,  about  ten  years  ;  he  had  run  away  from 
a  British  man  of  war,  and  got  on  board  oV  an  American  fishing 
vessel,  that  brought  him  to  Kingston.  He  procured  a  protec- 
tion as  an  American  seaman,  and  was  impressed,  as  he  told  me, 
about  two  years  ago  on  the  coast  of  Europe,  and  by  means  of 
his  protection  was  released,  on  application  of  the  consul  or 
agent,  m  London,  and  is  now  at  Kingston.  I  never  heard  of 
any  Other  instance  of  impressment  from  the  town. 

JOHN  THOMAS. 


I 


49  « 

^<        [No.  36.] 
Jbeposition  of  William  Ori^e, 

I,  William  Orne,  of  Salem,  in  the  county  of  Essex,  mer- 
ohant,  depose  and  suy — 

That  during  the  last  twenty  years,  I  have  employed,  upon  an 
average,  about  six  y  tnen  annually,  in  my  vessels.  The  only 
cases  of  impressment  from  my  vessels,  that  I  know  of,  are  th& 
following. 

In  1803,  the  ship  Essex,  Joseph  Orne,  master,  being  bound 
from  Salem  to  Amsterdam,  had  a  man,  by  the  name  of  James 
Newhall,  on  board,  who  was  impressed  on  the  passage.  New- 
hall  said  he  was  born  in  Windsor,  in  Connecticut,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  being  taken,  told  the  captain  of  my  ship,  that  he  had 
forgotten  to  take  out  his  protection  from  America,  and  the  cap- 
^in  desired  me  to  send  it  out  to  the  consul,  in  London. 

I  wrote  to  the  selectmen  of  Windsor,  who  answered  me, 
that  there  was  no  such  man  belonged  to  either  of  the  towns  of 
Windsor  or  East  Windsor.  Not  long  after,  the  man  returned 
to  Salem,  and  was  found  to  be  a  British  subject. 

In  1810,  John  Hanson,  a  Swede,  was  taken  out  of  rhy  brig  In- 
dustry ;  he  had  no  American  protection,  but  had  a  Swedish  doc- 
ument. He  soon  after  returned  to  Salem,  and  I  have  paid  him 
off. 

WILLIAM  ORNE. 

SWFFOLK    SS. 

JBettoTty  \9th  Feb.  1813. — Sworn  to  before  me. 

Jam£S  Savage,  Jus.  Peace, 


[No.   37.] 

Deposition  of  John  Tuckek. 

I,  John  Tucker,  of  Gloucester,  in  the  county  of  Essex, 
do  depose  and  say- 
That  I  have  been  master  of  a  vessel  for  about  forty-seven 
years  and  until  the  last  sever  years.  I  never  had  any  men  impress- 
ed from  any  of  my  vessels.  About  the  year  1796,  while  I  was  ly- 
ing at  St.  Pierre's,  Martinique,  an  English  officer  from  or,c  of 
the  frigates  there,  demanded  a  sight  of  the  protections  of  my 
men,  as  the  laws  of  my  country,  as  he  said,  made  it  necessary 
that  my  men  should  have  them.  I  toid  him,  I  knew  of  no  such 
*iiv. ,  iiuving  Dceii  uDseni  abuut  twelve  months  irom  my  country. 
He  told  me,  he  should  take  my  men  on  board  for  examination. 
I  follov,  ed  them  on  board  j  they  were  detained  about  aa  hour, 
lujd  then  discharged. 


50 

I  know  of  no  case  of  impressments  from  the  town  of  Glouces- 
ter, except  the  following^. 

A  relation  of  mine,  by  the  name  of  Aaron  Burnham,  has  been 
in  the  British  service  about  two  years,  and  says  he  was  impress- 
ed on  shore  in  a  British  port ;  he  has  written  home  frequently, 
but  has  never  expressed  any  desire  to  be  discharged,  that  I  have 
heard  of;  his  father  and  I  are  very  near  neighbours,  and  I 
have  frequently  conversed  with  him,  when  he  has  informed  me 
of  receiving  his  son's  letters  ;  but  he  never  stated  that  his  son 
was  desirous  of  returning. 

Daniel  Parsons  and  Ignatius  Parsons,  I  have  heard,  /ere  on 
board  the  British  navy  ;  but  I  have  no  knowledge  of  their  hav- 
ing been  impressed. 

^  About  the  year  1796,  (it  was  before  our  seamen  took  protec- 
tions) while  I  was  at  Amsterdam,  three  of  my  men,  viz.  Jona. 

Cook,  John  Medley,  and  John ,  an  Englishman,  requested 

a  discharge  from  my  vessel,  and  entered  on  board  an  English 
merchant  ship,  at  that  place.  They  went  to  Lisbon ;  and  while 
there,  were  impressed  on  shore  by  some  British  ship.  Cook 
has  since  been  home,  and  is  now  again  in  the  British  merchant 
service.  I  have  never  heard  of  Medley  since  ;  he  has  left  a  fam- 
ily in  Gloucester,  but  they  have  never  applied,  to  my  knowledge, 
for  a  discharge.     Cook  and  Medley  were  both  of  Gloucester. 

Benjamin  Oakes,  of  Gloucester,  was  taken  about  two  years 
ago,  as  I  have  understood,  and  that  it  was  for  want  of  a  protec- 
tion ;  a  protection  has  been  sent  out  to  him,  at  Halifax,  and  he 
has  not  yet  returned. 

Nathaniel  Riggs,  of  Gloucester,  was  on  board  a  British  ship, 
into  which  he  had  entered  and  served,  and  received  his  wages 
and  prize-money.     He  has  been  at  home  four  or  five  years. 

JOHN  TUCKER. 


SUFFOLK,  SS. 

BoatoTiy  Feb.  1 8,  1 8 1 3 Sworn  to  before  me. 

Alex.  Townsend,  ./itj.  Pf«cff. 


[No.  28.] 
Deposition  of  Joseph  Moody. 

I,  Joseph  Moody,  of  Kennebunk,  in  the  county  of  Yovk, 
depoiic  and  suy — 

That  I  have  resided  in  that  place  ever  since  the  year  1780, 
and  have  been  concerned  in  commerce  and  navigation  for  the 
^« -V  «-^-  SS'.  ^v  j-cuiB,  iiiiu  iiuvc  cmpioyea  usuaiiy,  m  vessels  m 
which  I  have  been  concerned,  upon  an  average,  from  40  to  50 
seamen,  annually,  except  during  the  embargo  *nri  i?nn.mtep- 


01- 

cdurse.  I  have  never  had  any  men  impressed  from  any  of  my 
vessels.  The  greater  part  of  the  voyages  have  been  to  the  West 
Indies,  and  some  to  England,  and  other  parts  of  Europe. 

I  know  of  one  case,  from  Arundel,  (which  is  the  port  of  Ken-" 
nebunk) — About  twelve  or  fifteen  years  ago,  a  young  man  by 
the  nanie  of  Tobias  Lord,  was  taken  out  of  a  Kennebunk  vessel, 
by  a  British  officer,  and  detained  a  short  time,  (my  impression 
is,  that  it  was  a  month  or  two)  and  made  his  escape  in  the 
night,  after  being  taken  a  second  time,  while  they  lay  in  port, 
on  that  voyage.  He  returned  in  a  short  time  j  whether  in  the 
same  vessel  or  not,  I  do  not  know. 

From  the  same  port,  there  was  one  other  case  ;  that  of  i 
Day,  about  six  or  seven  y^iars  ago.  He  was  in  Halifax,  four  or 
five  years  ago,  and  wrote  to  his  father  to  send  out  a  protection, 
or  other  evidence  ;  and  stated  that  upon  receiving"  cvidenee,  he 
would  be  discharged,  as  the  officer  assured  him.  I  saw  the  let- 
ter—-the  evidence  was  sent  out  and  he  has  been  at  home  two  or 
tjiree  years. 

JOSEPH  MOODY, 

SUFFOLK,    SS. 

Feb.  \  8,  1^13 — S\^om  to  before 

Alex.  Townsend,  Jus.  Peace. 


[No.  29.] 
Deposition  of  William  Davis. 

I,  William  Davis,  of  Plymouth,  in  Massachusetts,  depose 

and  say—  -  *  ^ 

That  I  have  always  resided  in  that  town,  and  have  been  one 
of  the  Selectmen  of  the  town  for  twenty  years. 

The  following  are  the   cases  of  impressments,  which  I  have 
heard  or  known  of,  from  that  town. 
\  Barnabas  Otis,  jun.  a  native  of  Plymouth,  was  impressed 

about  eight  years  ago  ;  he  had  no  protection  ;  he  made  his  es.^ 
cape  about  two  or  three  months  after  his  impressment.     He  was 
impressed  from  a  vessel  belonging  Mr.  B.  Hedge,  iun.  of  that 
place.  " 

I  have  heard  of  two  other  cases  ;  one  was  —  Bartlett,  of 
Plymouth,  who  wrs  impressed  from  a  fishing  schooner,  about 

eight  years  ago  ;  also, Burgess,  of  Carver,  taken  at  the 

same  time,  I  think.  They  were  both  released  upon  application. 
1  thmk  they  were  detained  about  six  or  eight  weeks  ;' but  can- 
not be  particular  as  to  this  fact.  I  recollect  no  other  cases 
from  Plymouth. 


WILLIAM  DA 


SUFFOLK)    SS. 

Feb.  19,  1813.- 


5% 


-Sworn  before 

Benj.  Wrld,  Just,  Peace. 


^^  [No.    30.] 

i. 

Deposition  of  Israel  Thorndike. 

I,  I'&RAEL  THORtfoiKE,  of  BostOH,  ID  the  County  of  Suifolkyr 
esquire,  depose  and  say-— 

TljHaLt  I  have  for  a  considerable  part  of  the  time  for  ten  or 
twelve  years  past  (excepting  the  time  of  the  Embargo)  usually 
employed,  on  an  average,  more  than  two  hundred  seamen  annu- 
ally, on  board  my  own  vessels,  and  those  which  I  have  had  un» 
der  freight  and  charter.  The  average  of  the  length  of  the  voy- 
ages 1  should  think  was  about  six  to  eight  months;  not  exceed- 
ing, eight  months. — 

I  have  not  had  more  than  six  or  seven  men,  to  my  recollection, 
impressed  from  my  vessels,  and  those  vessels  employed  by  me, 
during  that  period — I  cannot  no'w  recollect  the  names  of  the 
men  ;  the  names  of  the  vessels  were  the  ship  Alexander  Hodg- 
don,  from  which  two  or  three  men  were  taken  about  the  year 
1805  or  1806.  They  were,  as  I  understood  from  the  captain, 
all  foreigners. — I  think  they  were  shipped  in  Leghorn — and  I, 
think  they  were  impressed  on  a  voyage  from  that  place  to  the 
East  Indies — I  do  not  know  whether  they  had  any  protections 
or  documents,  or  not— and  have  not  since  heard  of  them. 

The  brig  Hector  had  one  man  impressed  from  her,  off  tho 
Isle  of  France,  about  1803  or  1804.  He  was,  as  I  was  inform- 
ed by  the  captain,  a  Frenchman  ;  and  I  am  inclined  to  believe 
he  ^as  shipped  at  Beverly — but  do  not  know  whether  he  had  a 
protection  or  not,  nor  have  I  heard  of  him  since.— 

The  brig «,  Swazey,  master,  lost  one  man  in  Liverpool, 

about  1 809.  His  name  was  Neptune,  an  African,  and  he  had 
there  entered  into  the  British  service,  while  in  a  state  of  intox- 
ication as  I  was  inlormed  by  the  supercargo.  The  man  had  for- 
merly been  a  servant  in  my  family — I  have  not  since  heard  of 
him.  The  brig  Gilpin  had  two  men  taken  from  her,  while  on 
her  voyage  to  Russia  in  1811,  as  I  was  informed  by  my  clerks, 
who  had  their  information  from  the  captain.  These  two  men 
were  both  foreigners  as  I  have  been  informed — I  have  heard 
nothing  of  them  since— nor  do  I  know  whether  they  had  any 
protections  or  not. — 

Daniel  Parker,  a  British  subject,  who  had  a  wife  and  family 
in  Beverly,  was  impressed  from  one  of  my  vessels  about  twenty 
ymp  since,  in  the  Downs,  or  some  other  port  in  England,-— He 


" 


53 

was,  as  I  was  informed,  requited  by  an  •ffictr  of  my  veasel,  at 
the  tinrie  whtn  he  was  taken,  to  declare  that  he  was  an  American ; 
but  said  he  would  not  deny  his  country,  and  surrendered  him- 
self,—  rhis  information  1  had  from  the  captain  of  my    vessel, 

the  Fabius — He  has  since  returned  to  his  family  in  Beverly 

I  think  he  returned  about  twelve,  or  fifteen  years  since.  I  have 
no  recollection  of  any  other  case  of  impressments  from  any  oth^ 
er  vessel  in  which  I  have  had  a  concern. 

ISRAEL  THORNDIKE. 

BOSTON,    SUFFOLK,    m. 

On  this  eighteenth  day  of  February,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirteen,  personally  appeared 
Israel  TUorndike  above  named  and  made  oath  to  the  truth  of  the 
above  b€4ore  me. 

JosiAH  Waters,  /w.  Peace, 


[No.  31.] 

Deposition  of  Josiah  Waters. 

I  JosiAH  Waters,  of  Boston,  in  the  county  of  Suffoljc- 
depo»e  and  say —  • 

That  1  have  been  a  clerk  in  the  custom  house,  at  Boston,  for 
about  fourteen  years,  and  until  the  year  1809. 

The  first  protections  granted  to  American  seamen,  were  in 
the  year  ITi'e.  The  manner  of  granting  protections  was  this-r- 
Someam&s  the  seamen  brought  certificates  of  th^ir  being  citi- 
zens from  a  magistrate,  or  notary  publick,  the  town  clerk,  or 
mmister  of  the  parish  ;  such  certificates  were  generally  consid- 
ered as  conclusive  evidence,  and  protections  were  granted  ac- 
cordingly. 

In  some  instances,  the  seamen  were  known  personally  to  the 
custom  house  officers,  or  clerks,  and  protections  were  granted 
m  such  cases,  a  declaration,  on  oaUi,  being  first  made,  by  the 
clerk  or  persori  who  knew  the  seaman,  before  the  collector  him- 
self, who  kept  on  file  a  certificate  of  such  declaration. 

In  some  cases,  I  snould  state,  that  we  did  not  consider  the 
above  certificates  as  conclusive,  and  sent  for  the  persons  who 
had  made  path  before  the  magistrate  or  notary  publick  to  the 
citizenship  of  the  seaman  in  question  ;  and  if  the  witness  did  not 
give  aaiisiactory  evident,  a  protection  was  refused,  notwith- 
siandmg  the  certificate  of  the  magistrate. 

It  was  the  custom  to  grant  new  protections  to  the  same  sea 
man,  upon  evidence  of  his  kavin|^  lost  the  first  one,  and  produc 
mg  a  new  cerufi^cate  from  a  magistrate  ;  in  «ome  cases,  thejr 

9 


54i 


protection's  were  wdrn  ^)ut  and  dq|"aced,  and  wc  grartted  ncir 
ones,  upon  delivering  to  usthe  old  ones. 

In  the  courst  of  the  period  abovementioned,  it  happened  in 
many  cases,  that  tlie  seamen  used  to  bring  as  witnesses  to  prove 
their  citizenship,  the  masters  of  boarding-houses  in  Boston  ; 
and,  in  some  instances,  the  same  masters  of  boarding-houses 
were  brought  so  often,  as  to  excite  suspicions  of  their  veracity, 
and  their  oaths  were  not  afterwards  admitted.  I  recollect  two, 
who  were  thus  suspected,  and  their  oaths  were  never  after- 
wards received. 

When  the  muster  rolls  were  to  be  certified,  the  protections 
of  the  seamen  composing  a  crew,  were  all  examined  at  the  cus*. 
torn  house  ;  and,  in  many  instances,  false  protections  were  de- 
tected and  dtstroyed.  Two  of  such  false  protections  I  have 
preserved,  and  herewith  exhibit  them*  ;  one  of  them  is  ^n  en- 
tire forgery,  a**d  the  other  is  an  altered  one,  I  have  destroyed 
hundreds  of  such  false  ones  myself. 

I  have  also  an  altered  protection,  (herewith  exhibited)  grant- 
ed originally  to  Paul  Rice  ;  it  was  brought  to  me,  as  a  notary 
publick,  by  John  Banks,  whom  I  thought,  by  his  speech,  to  b« 
an  Englishman;  and,  upon  my  charging  it  upon  him,  he. ac- 
kiVDwledged  himself  to  be  an  Englishman,  that  his  name  wa^ 
John  Banks,  and  that  lie  was  born  in  White  Haven,  in  the  coun- 
tv^f  Cumberland,  in  Great  Britain  ;  the  protection  is  altered, 
^An  the  description  of  the  height  of  his  person.  The  three  pro- 
tections above-mentioned  are  hereto  annexed. 

In  one  instance  a  half  quire  or  quire  of  blank  protections 
were  brought  to  the  office,  which  had  been  found  in  the  posses- 
sion of  a  sailor,  by  Mr.  Green,  of  Boston,  who  brought-them  t© 
the  custom  bouse,  to  be  destroyed.  They  were  mere  blat^> 
without  seals  or  signatures. 

J.  WATERS; 


S^'FFOLX  SS. 

/'VA.  18,  1813 Sworn  to  before 

Ai^EX.  TowNSEND,  Jus,  Pcace. 


t 


[No.  32.] 
The  JDejwsition  of  Edward  Lander. 

I  tklward  Lamler  of  Salem,  in  the  County  of  Essex,  merehanty 
depose  and  gaj — That  while  i  was  in  Leitii,  in  ihe  yeM  1811,  in 
October,  two  men  belonging  to  the  Rachel,  owned  by  Hon.  William 

*  The  yoriftrrr/ beiiip  Hpparent  pnJy  in  tlie  original  \trntp.eXvm»,  it  isuscler^s  to 
insert  copies  of  them  ;  t,Ue  orijrinala  innj-  be  iuspeoted  on  the  liles  oi"  llie  lluubti  d 
R^lirc8»titaUv«». 


^ 


new" 


i^ray,  were  taken  from  the  vessel  by  an  £ligli^  Iroat  5  their 

were  Israel  Foster  and Tnck,  of  Beverly,  in  Mass 

•etts.  Foster  was  released  the  next  day,  or  the  day  after,  and 
S'ptamed  home  in  the  same  vesseL  The  other  was  put  on  board 
the  Diadem  sixty-fonr,  which  went  to  sea  before  the  application 
reached  her.  At  the  request  of  the  captain  of  the  Rachel,  I  wrote 
a  letter  to  the  American  Consul  at  Lond»n,(Mr.  Lyman,)  which 
«aptaui  Mattinly  (master  of  the  Rachel,)  signed  and  forwarded. 
The  letter  was  written  the  day  after  the  men  were  taken,  but  be- 
fore the  return  of  the  man  who  was  released  as  I  have  stated 
above. 

I  have  understood  since  my  return  to  this  country,  that  Tuck 
affected  his  escape  at  Spithead,by  means  of  a  waterman,  in  about 
one  month  after  his  impressment.  They  were  both  Americans, 
and  had  proteetions. 

SDWARB  LANDBR^ 
SufFOLi^^  8S.    Feb.  iSth,  1813. 
Sworn  to  before 

Alex.  Tow NSEND,  J".  P(?ace, 


m 


k 


[No.  83.] 
The  Deposition  of  Wihhi AM  Storv. 

I  William  Story  of  Marblehead,  in  the  Connty  of  Essex,  de- 
pose and  say — That  I  have  been  master  of  a  vessel  from  the  year 
1797,  to  1807.  That  I  have  heard  of  the  following  cases  of  peii> 
sons  now  absent  from  Marblehead,  on  board  of  British  ships. 

John  Smith,  a  native  of  Marblehead,  was  impressed,  as  I  have 
learnt  from  letters  of  his,  which  I  have  read ;  the  letters  stated 
when  and  where  he  was  impressed,  and  on  board  of  what  vessel ; 
he  was,  by  the  last  accounts,  on  the  Jamaica  station.  I  dte  not 
know  how  long  he  has  been  under  impressment. 

William  Hooper,  a  native  of  Marblehead,  was  unpreisse^,  I 
think  about  seven  years  ago.  He  has  repeatedly  written  home  to 
liis  friends,  and  they  have  sent  out  documents  for  his  release,  but 
he  has  not  yet  been  released,  so  far  as  his  friends  know.  He  was^ 
during  his  impressment,  kept  on  ship-board  for  three  years,  with- 
out going  on  shore,  as  he  stated  in  his  letters  ;  he  was  mate  of  a 
New-York  vessel,  I  think,  at  the  time  he  was  impressed.  I  think 
there  can  be  no  doubt  he  had  a  protection,  because  it  was  then 
customary  for  seamen  to  take  them. 

John  Holden,  a  native  of  Salem,  sailed  from  Marblehead,  about 
*l«10,in  the  brie  Helen,  owned  by  Joseph  Barker ;  Mas  impressed 
the  same  year,  from  on  board  a  letter  of  marque  which  had  cap- 
tured the  Helen  ;  he  had  a  protection  and  shewed  it,  but  wtihoui 
effect.  He  wrote  home  several  letters,  and  his  ft-iends  forwarded 
documents  to  the  Consul  at  London  j;  he  was  m  Lisbon  when  lfh\ 


06 


ml 


as 


doe^mentg  arrived  m  England,  and  information  was  received  br 

i«Sli  "5 •.''!!  ^^  ^'^^"^  "^^i*?'  ^^^  ***»'^^»  ^*«  an  American, 
and  he  directed  the  captain  of  the  ship  wh^re  Hoiden  was,  to  dis- 

tharge  him ;  which  was  not  done,  however,  till  capt.  Thompson 
(of  Marblehead,)  made  application  to  the  Admiral  again,  ard 
stated  that,  he  knew  Hoiden ;  upon  which  the  Admiral  |ave  ano- 
ther  order  to  the  captain,  and  stated  to  captain  Thompson,  that 
he  before  that  time  had  ordered  his  discharge.  Upon  the  Ad 
miraPs  second  order,  Hoiden  was  discharged,  and  returned  to  the 
United  States,  in  the  tummer  of  1812.  This  information  1  had 
from  Hoiden  himself,  tfnd  from  Captain  Thompson 

Thomas  Cnrtis,  a  native  of  Marblehead,  was  impressed  about 
ten  or  twelve  vears  ago;  he  bus  written  home  several  letters  to 
his  friends,  who  have  sent  out  documents  for  his  release,  to  the 
Consul  m  London  ,;^  the  last  letter  from  him,  1  think  was  about 
three  years  ago,  which  was  the  last  that  I  know  of  him  I  do 
not  know  whether  he  had  a  protection ;  but  I  can  have  n^  doubt 
that  he  had  This  information  I  have  from  hir  friends^  and  from 
his  letters,  some  ot  which  I  have  seen. 

Samuel  Brimbh  om,  a  native  of  Marblehead,  (whose  mother 
was  a  Wooldridge,)  was  impressed  about  eighteen  or  twenty  years 
ago  .  I  do  not  know  where  nor  from  what  vessel ;  he  has  written 
home  letters,  some  of  whieh  I  have  seen  ;  the  last  was  dated  I 
think,  about  three  years  ago,  and  I  saw  it  last  summer.  His 
friends  have  sent  out  docnment?  to  London,  but  he  has  not  been 
released,  that  they  have  heard  of. 

Richard  Pearce,  a  native  of  Marblehead,  was  impressed  at  least 
SIX  years  ago;  I  do  not  recollect  where,  nor  from  what  vessel, 
nor  on  board  of  what  vessel  he  is  now.  I  have  seen  letters  from 
him,  and  his  friends  have  sent  out  documents ;  but  he  has  not  been 
released,  that  they  have  heard  of. 

Philip  Briinblecom,  a  native  of  Marblehead,  was  impressed 
and  was  discharged,  or  escaped,  as  I  am  inclined  to  think,  about 
a  year  ago,  and  has  returned  to  the  United  States;  he  must  I 
think,  have  had  a  protection.  ' 

Paul  Nevyhall,  a  native  of  Marblehead,  was  impressed  in  Ene- 
land,  1  think,  at  least  four  years  ago,  and  was  asked  to  enter, 
which  he  refused.  His  letter,  whicK  I  have  seen,  states  also  tha 
he  was  kept  on  bread  and  water,  upon  so  short  allowance  for  a 
fortnight,  1  think,  that  he  was  obliged  to  enter,  to  save  his  life  • 
thilt  was  the  substance  of  his  letter.  He  had  a  protection  when 
lie  sailed. 

Israel  Eaton,  a  native  of  Marblehead,  was  impressed  about 
#.urorfive  years  ago,  I  should  think;  I  believe  it  was  in  the 
Mediterranean.  His  friends  have  had  letters  from  him,  and  drtt- 
uments  have  been  sent  out;  he  has  since  been  at  home,  as  I  am 

r'u'ru*  ^?  ""'' i"*  ""  *J'''^*~*  ',"  ^"*  friends,  he  mentions,  that 
he  had  been  turned  over  from  the  ship  that  impressed  him,  to 
another  ship,  on  board  of  one  of  which,  he  met  with  his  brother, 
William  Eaton,  who  had  been  supposed  to  be  dead  for  many  years 


Bived  by 
tnerican, 
8,  to  dig- 
liompson 
lin,  ard 
Eive  ano- 
on,  that 
the  Ad- 
;d  to  the 
a  1  had 

d  about 
Btterg  to 
,  to  the 
L8  about 
I.    I  do 

0  doubt 
nd  from 

mother 
ty  years 

written 
dated  I 
r.  His 
iot  been 

at  least 

vessel, 

rs  from 

lot  been 

)ressed, 
L,  about 
must,  I 

in  Eng- 
►  enter, 
Iso  that 
e  for  a 
is  life  ; 

1  when 

I  about 
in  the 
nddiA;- 
i  I  am 
s,  that 
lim,  to  ' 
rother, 
years, 


!, 


having  been  absent  front  Marblehead  ev'r  since  about  the  year 
1790,  as  I  think.  Israel's  letter  states,  that  his  brother  informed 
jiim  he  had  been  impressed,  but  how  long  before,  1  do  not  recol- 
lect. William  has  not  returned.  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  Isra- 
el had  a  protection. 

Benjamin  Ashton;  a  native  of  Marblehead,  was  impressed,  I 
think,  after  tlie  embargo ;  I  do  not  know  fr«»ra  what  ship,  nor 
where.  His  friends  have  had  letters  from  hiin,  vhich  1  have 
seen.  1  do  not  know  whether  application  Ims  bee:i  made  for  hii 
discharge  or  not.  He  had  a  protection.  He  h^s  not  returned,  to 
my  knowledge. 

The  above  named  are  all  from  whom  letters  have  been  received. 

Their  letters  state,  generally,  that  they  had  been  turned  over 
from  different  ships  to  others,  and  to  different  stations;  and  that 
they  had  attempted  to  escape,  and  been  taken  back. 

The  fo?lowing  persons  are  known  to  me  to  be  natives  of  Mar- 
blehead, and  have  been  absent  several  years,  viz John  Niclio!- 

son,  William  Homan,  Thomas  Mitchell,  Jacob  Wadden,  Ambrose 
Dodd,  William  Mitchell.  Their  friends  suppose  them  to  he  un- 
der impressment.  This  information  I  have  from  a  person  who 
conversed  with  their  friends ;  and  who  says  that  their  friends  had 
ascertained  them  lo  be  under  impressment,  by  the  British 

Joseph  Fiirness  of  Marblehead,  was  taken  in  August  last,  bv 
one  of  the  British  ships  of  war  on  our  coast ;  I  think  it  was  1  •% 
Helvidera.  Hewasin  the  private  armed  schooner  Dolphin  of 
balem,  Endicott,  master.  While  a  prisoner  of  war  on  l.oard  the 
Belvidera,  he  was  taken  and  carried  on  board  the  San  Domineo. 
Several  persons  swearing  that  they  knew  him  to  be  a  Portuguese 
subject.  After  he  got  on  board  the  San  Domingo,  he  declared 
that  he  was  an  American,  and  w«iild  not  fight  against  his  coun- 
try, and  he  told  them  they  might  shoot  him  as  he  stood,  if  fhev 
chose.  On  tliat,  they  put  him  on  l^oard  the  Guard-ship.  Docu- 
ments  wer*  sent  down  for  hi«  release,  and  he  has  returned  home. 
Ihe  circumstances  as  above  stated  are  according  to  mv  best 
knowledge  and  belief.  J         ^ 

Airnf."  ™«  ^""^^^  ^^^^^  ^^"™  ^"  board  the  ship  Three  Brothers 
William  Brown  master,,  and  myself  mate,  as  soon  as  we  came  to 
anchor,  in  Madras  roads,  in  the  year  1794.  i  cannot  recollect 
their  names,  rour  of  them  had  consular  protections,  and  !  was 
^tisfied  that  they  were  Americans.  The  other  six  1  eipect  were 
Englishmen.  When  the  men  shewed  their  protection*,  they  were 
taken  by  the  British  officer,  and  torn  to  pieces.  Captain  IJrown 
applied  for  their  release,  but  could  not  obtain  them.  AVe  Mere 
then  left  with  only  the  carpenter,  and  one  man  on  board,  in  dis- 
tress,  and  so  far  from  home.  ' 

,    "  V  V -;""V=  "''"^""*^  »"^'*^^^">  are  aeeordma:  to  my  best 

knowledge  and  belief.  WILLIAM  STORY. 

Suffolk,  ss.  Boston,  Feb.  mh,  1813.— Then  William  Story 
above  named,  made  solemn  oath  that  the  above  deckration  by 
him  subscribed,  as  far  as  his  knowledge  and  belief  extends,  i* 
true,  before  me  w.  H.  Sumner,  J.  iW 


.401 


!!? 


[No.  3*.] 

♦ 

The  Bepirsffkion  qf  William  CBABfRKE. 

I  William  Crabtree  of  Portland  in  the  st.ate  of  Massachusetts, 
depose  and  say — that  I  have  been  master  of  a  vessel  for  twent|i 
years,  and  have  for  that  period,  sailed  out  ef  Portland-  I  never 
had  any  seamen  impressed  from  any  of  my  vessels.  My  Voya- 
ges were  to  the  Welt-Indies  and  to  Europe. 

On  one  of  niy  voyages  from  Dominique,  I  had  some  seamen  (be- 
longing to  a  Newburyport  schooner)  that  were  passengers  on 
board  of  my  vessel ;  one  of  them  had  no  protection,  but  was  an 
American,  as  his  captain  informed  me,  and  he  was  taken  from  my 
vessel  by  a  British  sloop  of  wocr.  I  made  a  representation  to  the 
captain  of  the  sloop  n>f  war,  informing  him,  that  the  man  was  all 
^meriean,  upon  which  he  was  immediately  released,  the  same 
day.    This  took  place  in  1806. 

1  know  of  no  cases  of  men  impressed  belonging  to  the  town  of 
Portland.  WILLIAM  CRABTREBr 

Suffolk,  ss.  Bosrov,  Feb.  lath,  1813. 
Sworn  to  before  me, 

James  Savage.  J,  Peace. 


MMi 


[No.  30.] 
The  Deposition  of  Otis  Little. 

I  Otis  Little  of  €astine,  in  the  Connty  of  Hancock,  depwe 
and  say— That  I  have  been  concerned  in  commerce  about  twelve 
years,  and  for  the  last  seven  years  I  have  employed  about  fifteen 
teamen  annually,  upon  an  average.  I  know  or  no  case  of  impress- 
ment from  any  vessel  in  which  I  have  been  concerned,  except  the 
following : 

In,  or  about  the  year  1807,  two  men  belonging  to  the  Brig  Uni- 
ty, then  in  the  West-fndies,  at  an  Bnglish  port,  being  on  shore, 
without  their  protections,  were  taken  by  a  press-gang ;  but  on  ap- 
plication of  the  Captain  of  the  Unity,  they  were  immediately  re^ 
leased.     They  were  American  Citizens. 

The  only  case  of  impressment  I  know  of  from  any  vessel  be- 
longing to  Castineis  the  following  :  John  Douglass,  of  Sedgwick, 
m  said  county  of  Hancock,  was  impressed  from  a  sloop,  cam- 
manded  by  Capt.  ^oan,  about  ten  years  ago,  and  was  detained 
about  twenty  months ;  and  as  I  understood  .then  made  his  escape, 
and  has  retnmed  home. 

One  other  persc-^  whose  name  I  do  not  now  recollect,  but  who 
had  sailed  several  voyages  from  Castine,  was  impressed  in  the 
West- Indies,  was  detained  about  a>  mM&th)  and  then  di»eJliarge(|, 
M  I  un^fBrstaod  frpm  bin). 


# 


99 


J  reoolleet  of  ad  vtfaer  cues  of  inj^ressmeiit  from  that  tanrn. 

oris  LITTIJB. 
MifFFoLfc,  Si.   Fek  letht  1813.         • 
§wom  $•  before  me, 

Alrx.  Towksknd,  J.  Peace. 


,  [No.  36.] 
ne  Deposition  of  Wilhau  Parker. 

I  William  Parker  of  Boston,  in  the  comity  of  Suffolk,  mariner, 
depose  and  say,  that  in  the  year  180*,  I  shipped  as  seaman  o» 
board  the  ship  called  the  Charles  Carter,  eapt.  John  Tompkins^ 
at  Ndffd'k,  in  Virginia,  bound  to  London.  When  at  London, 
n»  self  with  the  rest  of  the  crew,  except  the  cook,  and  one  green 
hand,  left  the  said  ship,  on  account  of  a  difficulty  with  the  said 
Captain.  Captain  Tompkins  desired  us  to  return,  but  we  refusr 
cd.  Before  we  left  the  ship,  capt.  Tompkins  gave  up  all  the  pro- 
tections, to  the  persons  to  whom  they  belonged,  except  mine,  which 
he  retained.  The  reAsoil  why  he  retained  it  was,  because  hp  un-^ 
derstood  ftpom  me,  that  I  was  going  to  leave  the  ship. 

After  I  left  the  ship,  I  shipped  on  board  the  ship  Horizon,  v{ 
Charleston,  South-Carolma,  capt.  George  Dojiglass,  bound  to 
Lima,  and  the  coast  of  Peru.  By  capt.  Douglass'  appUcatioa 
to  Mr.  Lyman,  consul  at  London,  I  obtained  another  protection. 
A  few  days  after,  viz.  Feb.  26, 1800,  being  on  shore  aboot  the 
Qity,  I  was  taken  up  by  the  press-gang ;  I  jshewed  them  my  pro- 
tection which  I  obtained  from  Mr.  Lyman,  they  told  me  it  was 
of  no  use,  that  capt.  Tompkins  had  informed  them  that  I  was  an 
Irishman,  born  in  ]>(ewry,  and  that  he  knew  my  parents  there. 
They  produced  to  me  a  paper,  which  I  knew  to  be  capt.  Tompkins^ 
hand  writing,  stating  that  the  seamen  who  had  left  his  ship  were 
English,  Irish  and  Scoth,  and  that  I  particularly  was  an  Irish- 
man.  I  was  taken  by  the  gang,  and  carried  on  board  the  tender 
called  tht;  Bnterprize.  Capt  Douglass  made  application  (o  the 
regulating  Captain,  for  my  release,  which  was  of  no  use,  as  capt. 
Tompkins  had,  as  I  understood,  sworn  that  I  was  an  Irishman.  I 
TiKas  drafted  into  the  Valorous  ship  of  war,  and  w  ent  to  sea.  I 
wa3  detained  aboat  five  years  and  a  haff,  and  made  my  e-jcape 
from  on  board  the  Belfleur,  a  ninety  eight  gun  ship,  on  the  seventh 
day  of  August,  1811,  at  Lisbon,  and  got  a  passage  on  board  tie 
sJiip  Fanny,  cant.  Burk,  aud  arrived  at  New-York,  September  15, 

^    t         ,^  ■' %    _*.»      .._     »      --   1   .<._?.-_'j    T  .- :- : 1 Jl 

the  following  British  vessels,  viz — The  Valorous,  the  Zeland,, 
the  Namur,  the  Banterer,  tlie  Nemesis,  the  Royal  William,  tiro 
Swiftsure,  the  Horatio  Kelson,  the  Penelope,  the  Peggy  schooner, 
the  Thistle,  the  Shamrock,  the  Centurion,  the  ]\f  artin.  the  Milaji,- 
the  Ckopfttra,  and  the  Belfleur  as  above. 


w 


60 

T  frequently  wrote  to  my  friends,  requesting  them  to  send  out 
documents  ior  my  release,  which,  on  my  arrival  home,  I  found 
hati  been  sent  to  Halifax,  bul  which  I  had  never  received. 

During  my  detention,  I  became  acquainted  with  the  foliowinff 
Amencan  seamen,  viz—Samuel  Gammon,  of  Boston,  was  on 
board  the  Ouerrier,  from  which,  he  was  aftenvards  sent  on  board 
the  Victorv ;  he  told  me  he  -had  been  impressed,  and  had  not  en- 
tered     I  do  not  know  whether  he  had  a  protection  or  not. 

John  Merkle,  son  of  Mr  Merkle,  furrier,  in  Boston,  wag 
on  board  the  Hahfax,  sloop  of  war,  in  1809 ;  he  told  me  he  was 
h^Evv    *  "*''"*^'  ^'^^''''^'  ^"^  ^^^  ^  protection,  which 

John  FulIer,of  Boston;  he  was  on  board  the  Bauterer,  in  1808, 
b^  told  me  he  had  been  impressed,  and  had  escaped  twice,  and 
on  bein^  impressed  the  third  time  he  had  entered,  to  prevent  be- 
mg  punished,  as  he  told  me;  he  had  a  protection  5  his  third 
impressment  was  from  on  board  an  English  East-indiaman,  and 
by  the  same  lieutenant  who  first  impressed  him. 

..'^fT\^,^^^*•^' **^  Boston,  was  on  board  the  Belfleur  in 
Igll,  he  had  been  impressed  from  two  to  three  years  ;  he  had  a 
JVotection  ftoni  the  Custom  House,  in  Boston.  He  sent  his  pro- 
^ction  to  Mr.  Lyman,  consul  in  London,  in  order  for  his  release, 
but  did  not  receive  any  answer,  or  his  protection  again. 

I  have  understood,  since  my  return,  from  my  mother,  that  Ad- 
miral Coffin  received  from  her  documents  for  my  discharge;  viz 
a  register  of  my  birth,  baptism,  and  protection.    I  sav  him  withC 
m  a  *ew  days  after  his  arrival  at  Halifax,  and  spoke  with  him 
and  he  did  not  represent  to  me  he  had  any  thing  for  me.    I  was 
«n  the  Halifax  station  about  two  years  and  a  half. 

WILLIAM  PARKER. 

Suffolk,  ss.  Boston,  Feb.  mh,  1813  —Then  William  Parker 
above  named,  made  oath  to  the  truth  of  the  above  declaration,  by 
'%im  subscribed,  before  me,  W.  H.  Sumner,  J,  Peace, 


[No.  37.] 

TA#  Deposition  (^William  Bainbridge. 

I  William  Bainbridge,  Esquire,  commodore  and  commander  of 
the  Unit'-d  States  frigate  Constitution,  depose  a*id  say— that  on 
iboard  the  British  frigate  Java,  lately  captored  by  the  friffatp 
.Constitution,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief,  there  wa« 
fbut  one  American  among  the  crew  of  the  frigate  Java  ;  who  is 
'now  on  board  the  Constitution.    He  is  a  black  man,  by  the  name 

ef _  Freeman  ;  born,  as  I  understand,  in  New-Jersey.    My 

impression  is,  that  he  informed  me,  that  he  was  impressed. 
There  were  on  board  the  Java,  at  the  tuae  of  her  capture,  dght 


^ 


# 


AnieHean   seamen,  as  prisaners  of  war  ;  taken  from  the  gluB 
Williani,  of  Portland,  a  prize  to  the  Java. 

In  the  year  17^4,  or  1795,  while  I  was  commander  of  the  mer- 
chant ship  Hope,  of  PhiladdpJiia,  I  had  ou^  man  impressed  by 
the  Indefatigable,  Sir  Edward  Pelew,  commander.  The  man'i 
name  was  Donaldson,  of  the  state  of  Rhode -Island,  as  he  toiJ  me. 
and  as  I  believe.  He  had  no  certiticate  of  citizenship  j  but  I 
Lave  no  doubt  of  his  being  an  American.  All  the  rest  of  my  crew 
had  ceititicates  of  citizenship.  1  have  never  heard  of  him  since. 
On  my  return  to  the  United  States,  I  entered  a  protest,  and  for- 
warded it  to  the  Department  of  State.  I  recollect  of  no  other  e** 
ses  of  impressment,  within  my  own  knowledge. 

WILLIAM  BAINBRIDGE. 


ti'.'^FOLK,  ss.     Feb.  20th,  1813. 
Sworn  to  before 


Alrx.  Townsen^j,  J.  Peace, 


U.  S.  Frigate  Constitutim,} 
Boston  Harbor,  Feb,  21st.  1813.  C 
Sir,     .  '  >  • 

In  answer  to  your  note  of  last  evening  respecting  the  i<  i.  pe«» 
ment  of  a  seaman  by  the  name  of  John  TurM^  from  the  ship  Hope 
ef  Piiiladelpiiia  under  my  command,  I  have   ^c.  ripply,  I  com* 
manded  the  sliip  Hope  of 'Philadelphia  from  i'^d2  to  1798,  during 
which  period  1  made  several  voyages  from  France' to  th.  West- 
Indies.     On  one  of  said  voyages,  Gound  to  St.  B j.rthoIv.  iiews,  I 
had  one  of  my  crew  impres'sed  by  an  officer  of  the  British  ship 
of  war   Indeiatigable,  commanded  by  sir  Edward  Pelew ;   th« 
seaman's  name  I  still  think  was  Donaldson,  but  in  this,  I  may  h% 
mistaken,  as  my  memory  is  not  great  at  the  recollection  of  names, 
particularly  of  sailors,  having  had, so  many  under  my  command. 
The  fact  is,  1  never  had  but  one  man  impressed  from  m«,  during 
my  command  of  a  merchant  ship  ;  and  that  was  in  the  very  latter 
part  of  tlie   year  IfyG   or  very  early  in  1797,   when  I  was  on  a 
voyage  from  Bordeaux  to  St.  Bartholomews.     I  think  I   stated 
to  the  committee,  yesterda;-,  that  it  was  in  1794  or  1795,  thattht 
i  mpressment  took  place.     On  further  reflection  I  find  I  was  mis- 
taken, in  thinking  it  was  in  those  years,  which  mistake  origina- 
ted from  the  great  elapse  of  tisie,  and  being  in  those  years^  is 
the  same  trade.  '  ■ 

I  am  very  respectfully.  Sir, 
Your  obejlient  servant, 

WILLIAM  BAJiMBRlDGfi, 
.Ton?r  Pickering,  Esquire. 

N.  B   See  also  commodore  Bainbridge's  letter,  to  the  eqmmili* 
tec,  next  t«»  tke  doposiUon  of  John  Hewdft,  Ni».  *d. 


5i|^'" 


[No.  38] 
Xke  Heposition  cf  Asa  T.  Newhall. 

I  Asa  T.  Newhall  of  Lynnfield,  in  the  County  of  Essex,  En- 
quire, depose  and  say,  that  1  know  of  no  cases  of  impressed  sea- 
men belonging  to  Lynnfield,  except  the  following :  Andrew  Mans- 
field of  Lynnfield,  sailed  from  Boston  about  fourteen  years  ago;, 
and  was  impressed  (on  his  first  voyage)  and  detained  on  board 
a  British  man  of  war.  His  brother,  Isaac,  being  on  board  the 
same  vessel  from  which  he  was  impressed,  gave  the  informati( 
to  his  Mother  on  his  return.  Soon  after  which  his  Mother  for* 
warded  documents  for  his  release.  He  told  me  that  he  was  shift- 
ed into  several  different  vessels,  which  he  said  he  supposed  was 
the  reason  why  he  did  not  receive  his  documents  so«^^ier. 

After  being  seme  time  under  impressment  and  in  order  to  ob- 
tain better  treatment,  he  entered;  not  having  any  prospect  of  be- 
ing soon  released ;  after  he  had  entered,  and  two  or  three  years 
after  his  impressment,  evidence  of  his  being  an  American  reach- 
ed the  ship  he  was  in.  His  release  M'as  refused,  on  account  of 
his  having  entered.  He  remained  in  the  British  service  about 
seven  years ;  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  was  discharged,  and 
received  his  wages ;  he  returned  home  soon  after. 

Amos  NewhaJl,  of  Lynnfield,  mailed  from  Boston,  about  nine 
yei»  's  since,  and  has  since  been  seen  on  board  a  British  man  of 
wair ;  as  I  have  understood  from  his  brother  5  but  whether  he  was 
impressed  or  not,  his  friends  do  not  know. 

ASA  T.  NEWHALL. 

SuFFoLK^ss.  Boston,  Fsb,  27th,  1813. — Then  the  above  named 
Asa  T.  Newhall,  solemnly  affirmed^  that  the  above  deposition  by 
him  subscribed,  contains  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing 
but  the  truth ; 

Before  me,         W.  H.  Sumner,  J.  Peace. 


[No.  39.] 
The  Deposition  of  Thomas  H.  Tobby. 

I  Thomas  H.  Tobey  of  Sandwich,  in  the  County  of  Barnstable, 
yeoman,  depose  and  say — That  I  know  of  no  cases  of  impress- 
ed seamen  from  »&iA  town  except  the  following : 

Edmund  Fish  of  Sandwich,  was  impressed  about  sixteen  or 
seventeen  years  ago,  and  detained  on  board  a  British  man  of  war. 
He  wrote  home  to  his  friends,  to  send  on  documents  for  his  re- 
lease; which  were  sent  on.  ijibout  three  years  after  he  was  im- 
pressed. He  did  not  receive  them ;  and  documents  Were  sent  out 
A  seeond  time.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  had  a  protection  or  not 


''  f 


# 


66 

wli£a  lie  was  impreMed.  He  has  not  returned,  nor  has  he  be^ 
heard  of  by  his  friends  since. — ^I  do  not  know  to  whom  the  docu- 
ments were  sent, 

THOMAS  H.  TOBEY. 


[No.  40.] 
The  Deposition  of  Charlls  Durant^ 

I  Charles  Durant  of  Roxbury,  in  the  County  of  Norfolk,  tr%r 
der,  depose  and  say — That  !  know  of  no  case  of  impressed  sea^ 
men  from  said  town,  except  the  following: 

Edward  Williams  of  Roxbury,  sailed  from  Boston  in  1799,  on 
|)oard  a  vessel  commanded  by  Captain  Edes,  for  India,  as  I 
think.  He  told  me  that  he  yas  impressed  by  the  British 
squadron  on  the  India  station.  After  being  detained  on  board 
about  twelve  or  fifteen  months,  he  made  his  escape,  and  has 
since  returned  i^iome.  do  not  know  whether  he  had  a  protectioii 
when  he  was  impressed ;  but  1  am  inclined  to  think  he  had  not. 

S  amuel  C.  Dudley,  as  1  have  been  informed  by  his  brother 
Thomas,  was  impresed  and  is  still  detained  as  i  am  informed. 

CHARLES  DURANT. 

Suffolk,  ss,  Boston,  Feb.  20th,  1813. — Then  the  above  named 
Charles  Durant  made  solemn  oath  to  the  truth  of  the  above  de^ 
elaration  by  him  subscribed.    Before  me, 

W.  H.  Sumner,  J.  Peac^. 


m 


[No.  41.] 
The  Depoaition  of  William  Sturqis, 

I  William  Sturgis  of  Boston,  in  the  County  of  Suffolk,  Mer- 
chant, depose  and  say-— that  I  have  been  concerned  in  Commerce 
and  Navegation  for  about  sixteen  ,  :ars  j  eleven  years  of  which 
I  have  been  master  of  a  ship.  My  crews,  u^  n  an  average,  have 
consisted  of  about  twenty  five  men.  For  the  last  two  years  I 
have  employed  about  seventy  seamen  annually. 

t  have  never  had  but  three  seamen  jimpresscd  from  any  vessel 
in  which  I  have  had  a  concern.' — These  were  taken  fropi  on  hoard 
the  ship  Eugenia,  under  my  command,  at  Canton.  One  was  an 
American,  named  Lewis  Briec,  a  muiatto,  who  had  no  protoction 
—-one  an  Englishman,  and  had  no  protection— the  other  I  did  not 
knuw  of  what  country  he  was ;  and  also  had  no  protection. 

1  never  have  been  a  voyage  without  the  crew  being  more  or  JlPsS 
QomposQ/d  of  British  subjects,  with  American  protections. 


04 

The  abbve  named  Lewis  Brice  returned  about  a  year  after- 
wi&rds.     The  other  two  I  have  never  heard  of  since. 

WILLIAM  STURGIS. 

Suffolk,  &s.  Boston,  Feb  20th,  1813.— Then  William  Stwr- 
ges  above  named  made  solemn  oatli  to  the  truth  of  the  above  de- 
elaration,  by  him  subscribed,  before  me. 

W.  H.  Sumner,  J.  Peace: 


[No.  43.] 
The  Deposition  of  Capt.  Isaac  Hull. 

^  I  Isaac  Hull  of  Boston,  Esquire,  testify  and  say— That  at  the 
time  when  the  British  frigate  Gi.erriere  was  taken  by  the  United 
States  frigate  Constitution,  then  unde»  my  command,  the  names 
of  about  twelve  men  were  given  me  as  Americans  then  on  board 
the  Guereiere,  by  Capt.  Dacres.  They  informed  me  in  general, 
that  they  had  been  impressed  ^  and  as  I  understood  them,  from 
different  American  ships  j  but  as  to  this  fact  1  did  not  enquire 
particularly.  f 

In  addition  to  the  above,  many  others  said  they  were  Ameri- 
cans, and  six  of  them,  as  I  have  been  informed,   applied  to  the 
-District  Court  for  their  release ;  four  of  these  six,  1  have  under- 
stood, were  accordingly  released. 

One  of  the  above  twelve  had  been  on  I  »rd  this  ship,  as  he 
said,  five  years ;  and  had  frequently  applieri  for  a  discharge. 
He  belonged  to  some  town  fifty  or  sixty  miles  back  in  the  coun- 
try, in  Massachusetts,  or  Maine.  At  the  time  of  the  capture, 
Capt.  Dacres,  on  my  application,  promised  to  give  this  man  his 
pay  ticket  aad  prize  ticket,  for  his  five  years  services ;  but 
afterwards  the  seaman  himself  informed  me  that  Capt.  Dacres 
had  refused  it,  after  his  arrival  in  the  United  States.  Capt- 
Dacres  said  this  man  was  an  American,  and  snid  he  was  the  best 
man  in  his  ship.  I  do  not  now  recollect  the  man's  name.  At  the 
time  of  the  action  this  man  stated  that  he  was  an  American,  and 
for  that  reason  did  not  fight ;  the  others,  as  I  understand,  fought. 
It  ft-equently  happens  that  the  Americans  who  have  once  been  on 
board  British  ships,  and  have  left  them,  are  afterwards  recogni- 
xed  by  their  officers  and  claimed  as  belonging  to  their  ships. 
One  instance  of  this  has  come  within  my  own  knowledge 

One  black  man,  who  was  on  board  the  Guerriere,  was  about 
qnifting  his  gun,  as  being  an  American,  and  was  ordered  back 
and  fought  durine:  the  action..  The  first  liputenftn*  nf  fhe  Gu'^-- 
riere  told  me,  that  he  knew  the  man  to  be  an  Englishman,  that 
he  was  born  m  Jamaica,  and  that  he  (the  lieutenant)  knew  his 
master  in  that  Island ;  and  that  as  soon  as  their  arrived  in  HaU 
Ifax  he  intended  to  h^ve  the  man  tried  by  a  rourt-martial  for 


m 

*. 

qawardijcei  I  kept  the  man  as  a  prisoner  $  but  lie  wa$  upo^  onr 
arrival  at  Boston  discharged,  upom  application  to  the  District 
Courts  as  an  American,  belonging  to  the  State  of  New -York. 

1  do  not  recollect  that  any  of  the  abov>(.''  men  informed  me  that 
they  had  protections  when  they  were  iniipre'^scd ;  and  the  fact  of 
their  impressment  1  have  from  the  men  ithemselveK ;  except  in  the 
instanoe  of  the  man  who  served  five  years,  as  above  stated;  in 
respect  to  him,  Capt.  Dacres  told  me  that  he  was  impressed. 
While  »  was  in  the  Merchants'  service,  which  was  five  or  si^ 
years,  I  never  had  any  men  impressed  from  my  ships  by  the  Brit- 
ash  or  French.  ISAAC  HULlt. 
Suffolk,  ss.  Boston,  Feb.  23d,  181£U 
Sworn  to  before  me, 

James  SavaiSe,  J-  Peace, 


Sir, 


[No.  43.] 
Judge  Davis's  letter  to  the    ommittee, 

Boston,  Feb.  22d,  1813. 


I  received  your  letter  of  the  20tk  inst.  written  as  chair^ 
man  of  a  Committee,  of  the  honorable^ House  of  Representativet 
of  Massachusetts,  on  the  subject  of  impressed  seamen,  requesting 
information  relative  to  applications  made  to  me,  as  District 
Judge,by  certain  persons  captured  in  the  British  frigate  Guerriere. 

On  the  6th  of  September  last,  application  was  made  to  me,  in 
writing,  by  five  men  who  were  captured  in  the  Guerriere,  and  helci^ 
as  prisoners  of  war,  on  board  the  prison  ship  Fawn,  at  Charles- 
town,  praying  for  their  disehaige,  as  citizens  of  the  United  States; 
After  some  ^liberation,  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  sustain  the  peti- 
tion ;  a  day  for  hearing  was  assigned,  and  notice  ordered  to  the 
District  Attorney,  and  to  Andrew  Allen,  jr  Esq  British  agent 
for  prisoners,  at  that  time,  in  Boston;  andastlie  application  was 
brief  and  imperfect,  I  directed  the  applicants  to  file  in  the  clerk's 
•fiice,  in  seasonable  time  before  the  hearing,  separate  specifica- 
tions of  facts,  which  should  include  a  statement  in  what  manner 
their  alleged  citizenship  was  acquired,  and  ui  what  manner,  and 
under  what  circumstances  they  bjcame  liable  to  capture 

The  names  of  tlie  applicants  were  J^Tathaniel  Snoiv,  John  Ballj, 
George  Reed,  Henry  Brooks  and  Martin  tN'aman. 

Afterwards,  vi^. — On  the  9th  of  September,  a  similar  applica- 
tion was  made  by  another  man,  David  Weston,  whi  was  also  a 
prisoner  oi .  wiir,  capiurca  in  mu  WKe»i»tTe.  ms  piiiiiion  was 
sufficiently  descriptive  of  his  his  case,  and  a  separate  specifica- 
tion was  not  required  of  him.  I  enclose  copies  of  the  petitions, 
and  of  the  specifications  filed  bv  three  of  the  men,  viz. — Snow, 
Reed  and  Jyamany  under  (he  «r^er  on  the  first  petition. 


«6 


pie  hearing  was  on  the  if  th  of  September ;  the  result  wai, 
that  It  appeared  to  my  sa  wSaction  that  J^Tathaniel  Snow,  John 
mil,  Henry  Brooks,  Martin  JSTaman  and  David  fVestom  werf,  cit- 
izens of  the  United  States,  and  I  directed  their  discharge  I  waV 
not  satisfied  as  to  the  alleged  citizenship  of  George  R^d  and  he 
was  of  course  remanded  >    ««  uc 

John  Ball  filed  no  specification  of  his  case,  but  his  account 
given  on  the  examination  was,  thathe  was  born  in  Loudon  coun- 
ty, in  Virginia,  and  was  about  forty  years  of  age,  that  he  served 
his  time  with  Mam  HiskeU;  that  he  went  to  sea  in  1797  •  that 
he  enlisted  in  the  British  service,  in  England,  as  a  marine,%erv. 
ed  for  some    time    m  that    capacity  at    Chatham,    and   was 
atterwards  put  on  board  the  Guerriere.    I  do  not  recollect  wheth- 
^  Henry  Brooks pnxe  any  specification.     If  he  did,  it  is  mislaid. 
1  here  was  no  evidence  as  to  the  impressment  of  any  of  these  men 
excepting  their  own  declarations :  but  no  proof  appeared,  that  any 
ct  them,  excepting  John  Ball,  had  voluntarily  engaged  in  the 
British  service.     My  enquiries  were  not  directed  particularly  to 
the  tact  of  impressment,  for  whether  impressed,  or  not,  if  ther 
were  citizens  of  the  United  States,  they  were  not  liable  to  deten- 
tion,  as  prisoners  of  war.    In  regard  to  their  citizenship,  from 
the  situation  of  these  men,  and  the  short  notice  for  hearing,  ther« 
could  be  but  little  evidence?  but  on  this  head  1  was  relieved  hr 
the  frank  deportment  of  Mr.  Allen,  who  attended  the  hearins,  and 
who  manifested  a  disposition  to  admit  every  allegation,  thoueh 
nnaccompained  with  strict  prtof,  which  had  the  probable  appeaV- 
ance  of  truth.     He  had  conversed  with  the  officers,  lately  belonff- 
ing  to  the  Guerriere,  on  the  subject     Some  of  the  applicants  were 
expressly  admitted  to  be  citizens  of  the  United  States,  nor  was  it 
•enied  as  to  any,  who  were  discharged. 

I  am,  Sir^  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

T         TJ  T.       ^,    .  JOHN  DAVIS. 

JoHK  Pickering,  Esq.  Chairman  of  a 

Committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of 
Massachusetts,  on  the  subject  of  Impressments. 

Guard  Ship  Fawn.  "> 

^   ,,    w  ,  September,  6th,  1813.  S 

10  the  Honourable  Judge  Davis. 

May  it  please  your  honor,  we  the  subscribers,  are  Americaa 
citizens,  nojy  confined  on  board  the  guard  ship  Fawn,  as  prisoners 
ot  war.  Wishing  to  fight  the  battles  of  our  country,  and  not 
those  of  our  enemy.     \^e  humbly  request  your  interference  for 

?o  Jx^«?^r?^  ^'^^^'  ^  ^'^  "'^^•'^J  ^^itness,  George  Reed. 
JUnJN  WALL. 

GEORGE  REED 

S^uS^lLS???.^!?^  his  mark  5  witness,  Richard  Skimmer. 
MARriNNAMAN,><  hismark;  witness,  Richard  Skimmer. 


I 


w 


m 


Ignited  States  of  ^America,  > 
JOiitrict  of  Massachusetts,  > 

To  the  honorable  John  Davis,  Esq.  Judge  of  the  Bitti^iet 
Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 

Nathaniel  Snow,  commorant  in  Charlestown,  within  said  Dift- 
Irict,  respectfully  represents,  that  he  is  a  native  American  citizen^ 
%nd  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  in  the  District  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  is  aged  thirty  five  years,  that  he  sailed  from  Wiacasset,  in 
Ae  District  of  Maine,  in  the  brig  Dun,  John  Rich  master,  in 
April,  A.  D.  1811,  to  Belfast,  in  Ireland,  that  he  sailed  in 
said  brig  thence  bound  to  New-York,  and  on  his  return  home- 
ward was  impressed,  and  put  on  board  the  British  frigate  Guer*r 
riere  on  the  12th  day  of  September,  A.  D  1811,  and  that  he  was 
captured  in  said  frieate  Guerriere,  by  the  U.  S.  frigate  Consti- 
tation,  on  the  20th  day  of  August  last  past. 

NATHANIEL  x  SNOW. 

Witness,       >  rnark 

£.  M.  Parkkr.  S 

United  States  of  America,  > 
District  of  Massachusetts.  3 

To  the  honorable  John  Davis,  Esquire,  Judge  of  the  Dis* 
triet  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 

George  Reed  commorant  in  Charlestown,  within  said  District^ 
respectfully  represents,  that  he  is  a  native  American  citizen,  was 
born  in  Georgetown,  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  is  aged 
thirty  nine  years,  that  he  sailed  from  Charleston  in  the  Dis- 
feriet  of  South  Carolina  in  the  ship  Northern  Liberties,  James  Bogg 
Master,  about  the  1st  day  of  May,  A.  D.  1803  ;  to  Liverpool  in 
England  ;  that  he  was  impressed  at  Liverpool  on  the  3d  day  of 
July,  A.  D.  1803,that.the  leader  of  thepre«-gang  took  from  him 
his  protection,  and  put  him  on  board  the  Princess  guard  ship, 
and  was  sent  from  her  in  a  tender  and  put  m  board  the  sloop  of 
war  Nautilus  at  Plymouth,  and  has  been  transferred  froiii  ship  to 
ship  from  time  to  time  until  he  was  put  on  board  the  ;Guerriere 
frigate  from  the  Statira  frigate  at  Halifax  in  December,  A.  D. 
1809,  and  that  he  was  captured  in  said  frigate  Guerriere  by  the 
W.  S.  frigate  Constitution  on  the  30th  day  of  August  last  past. 

GEttRGE  REED. 


Ignited  States  of  .flmerica,  > 
District  of  Massachusetts,  y 

To  the  Honorable  John  Davis,  Esquire,  Judge  of  the  Dis- 
trict Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 

Martin  Naman  eoramorant  in  Charlestown,  within  said  District, 
respectfully  represents,  that  he  is  a  native  American  citizoM,  wm 
born  in  Lancaster  in  the  District  of  Pennsylvania,  and  is  aged  thir- 
ty one  years,  that  he  sailed  in  the  schooner  Orestes,  John  Mae/ 


^ 


f  ;s 


't  r'n 


,*, 


master,  fit»ra  the  city  of  Xi  Jw-York  to  the  U\mA  of '  t.  Domm«^ 
aud  thence  to  Gottenburg,  nnd  on  the  first  day  of  December  A  D. 
1806,  was  there  impressed  and  put  on  board  ihe  British  eun  brie 
the  Gallant,  was  thence  tr  ansferred  to  the  frigate  Guerriere  on 
tiie  24th  day  of  December,  \.  D.  laor,  aud  that  he  was  captured 
in  said  frigate  by  the  IJni  ted  States  frigate  Constitution  on  the 
J20th  day  of  August  last  pust. 

I  MARTIN  xNAMAN.    « 

!  mark 


United  States  of  t^merica,    > 
District  of  Massachusetts,   3 

To  tUit  i4onorrble   John  bavis  Esquire  Judge  of  the  Dis- 
trict Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 

David  Weston  eommor  ant,  in  Charlestown,  w'*^  'n  said  Dis- 
trict, respectfully  represents,  that  he  is  a  native  Aiiierican  citizen 
was  born  in  Baltimore  in  the  District  of  Maryland,  was  saiiin* 
in  an  American  ship  and  was  captured  in  the  Gulph  Stream  on 
the  14th  day  of  June,  A.  I).  1808,  by  C.  plain  Skeene  of  the  Brit- 
ish frigate  Guerriere,  was  taken  on  board  the  said  frigate  and 
therein  detained  by  constiraint  until  the  30th  day  of  August  last 
past,  when  he  was  recaptured  by  the  United  States  frigate  Con- 
stitution, and  that  he  is  now  held  as  a  British  prisoner  on  board 
the  guard  ship  Fawn  at  Charlestown,  aforesaid,  whereupon  he 
prays  that  his  case  rtiay  be  examined  by  your  Honor  und  that  he 
may  be  discharged. 

DAYID  WESTON,  by  Ms  ^tfmrneu, 
§harlestown,  Sept.  dthfj  1812.  D.  W.  LINCOLN. 


.^£4; 


[No.  44.] 
The  Depaaition  of  Lawson  Carroll. 

,   I  Lawson  Carrol  of  Boston,  carpenter,   depose  and  say thaf 

I  was  Carpenter  on  board  the  ship  Juno,  Capt.  Blisha  Crocker, 
at  Liverpool,  in  June  181i.  At  which  time  Moses  Wentworth, 
of  the  District  of  ]>Iaine,  one  of  the  crew,  was  taken  up  by  the 
press  gang,  while  on  shore  with  me. — He  had  a  protection*  from 

the  Custom  House  at  Newburyport,  which  he  had  with  him He 

was  carried  on  hoard  the  receiving  ship,  called  the  Princess,  the 
next  day. — where  he  was  kept  till  his  death — which  took  place 

about  eight  days  after  he  was  taken  up He  was  well,  to  a?  '»ear- 

ance,  when  taken,  and  it  was  suppoied  that  he  dietl  of  gri*  -a« 
we  were  ini  >rmed,  by  a  woman  who  saw  him  on  board  the  Prin- 
cess, and  who  brought  to  me  his  protection,  that  he  refused 
to  take  any  nourishment — Capt.  Crocker  was  informed,  as  T  nn- 
derstocd,  that  the  regulating  Captkm  had^iven  orders  for  his  re- 
lease— but  he  was  not  released. 


pji  iLe  passage  home  4»:  man  by  the  name  of  William  Maj^ 
Was  impressc  '  by  a  British  sloop  ot*  war,  he  had  lost  his  proteo^ 
tion,  which  he  had  obtaine^l  by  i^erving  two  years  on  board  th« 
Hornet. — He  was  an  Irishman,  and  had  a  wife  and  children  in 
Cheshire. 

LAWSON  CARROIii 
Mosroif,    Feb.  23df  ±8i3.   - 
Sworn  to  before  mc, 

Lemusi.  ShaW;  J.  JPeaee. 


[No.  49.] 
2'Ae  DejpGidtion  of  Charles  W.  Williams, 

* 

I  Charles  W.  Williams  of  Wells,  in  the  County  of  York^tra^ 
der,  depose  and  say— 1  know  of  the  following  cases  of  impresses, 
seamen,  viz — 

Jotham  M.  Williams,  was  born  in  Boston,  and  was  impressed 
by  the  British,  about  fourteen  months  ago  ;  being  then  mate  of  & 
snip  from  Philauelphia,  bound  to  Europe.  Documents  have  been 
sent  on  to  I^oudon  for  hii  iischarge ;  but  we  have  not  heai'd  of 
kis  release. 

Also,  Samuel  Williams,  who  was  bora  in  Boston,  and  sailed 
from  thence,  as  a  seaman,  about  four  years  ago,  and  was  impress^* 
•d  at  the  Havanna.  Documents  for  his  release  have  been  sent 
out  to  London.  He  attempted  to  escape  and  was  detected,  and 
received  sixty  lashes  for  the  attempt,  after  having  been  half  an 
hour  in  the  water.  He  writes  that  he  shall  not  make  anothei^ 
attempt  to  escape.  )  think  Samuel  stated-  that  he  had  not  a  pro- 
tection ;  having  lost  it. 

The  above  are  my  brothtfrs.  Neither  of  the  above  have  return- 
ad.     Both  the  abo^  e  had  been  impressed  before. 

C.  W.  WILLIAMS. 
Suffolk,  ss      Feb.  Mth,  1813. 
Sworn  to  before  me 

•^AM£i  Savage,  Jl  Feace. 


[No.  46.] 
The  DefositiGn  of  Lemuel  Walker. 


'•rA.#v_ 

J"' 


1  Lemuel  Walker,  of  Litchfield,  in  the  countv  of  Linco!*! 
man,  depose  and  sav — That  I  was  born  in  Arundell,  in  the  coun- 
ty of  York  J  that  I  know  the  following  cases  of  impressed  sea- 
men, viz.—. 

Jonatltan  Walksr,  my  brother-in-law,  and  wh«  was  born  in  A^ 

19 


1^ 


:Ma^lt ;  i^d  w)ik  iihpreisied  froin  oh  boird  i  vesiel  belonging  to 
Kejiiiebunk.  While  in  the  West-Iudies  was  impressed  on  board 
4f  ii  ttHtish  fVi^te  ;  he  wrote  home,  soon  after,  his  sitnatioh. 
Abidat  one  year  after  I  was  in  the  Iskhd  of  St.  Christopher,  the 
§atne  frigate  came  into  the  Bay  ;  I  went  on  board  and  enquired 
for  ihy  brother ;  he  came  on  deck,  I  asked  him  why  he  was  de- 
tained there,  he  answered  he  could  not  tell ;  but  that  he  had  oftert 
^p^aed  for  his  release,  but  could  not  obtain  it.  I  then  applied 
to  the  commanding  ofiieer  and  informed  him  that  this  man  was  my 
brother  and  an  American,  and  born  in  Arundell.  He  replied  that 
".vhen  the  frigate  returned  to  JSngland,  he  would  be  released. 
No  application  has  since  been  made  for  his  release. 

About  fourteen  years  [since,]  I  commanded  a  vessel  on  a  voyage 
from  Ivcnnebunk  to  St.  Vincents.  A  press-gang  from  the  sloop 
of  war  PiTautilos,  came  on  board  my  vessel  while  lying  in  Kings- 
ton, in  St.  Vincents ;  the  midshipman  requested  me  to  order  my 
men  upon  deck  ;  I  replied  to  bim,  that  if  he  had  more  authoritr 
than  I  hiid,  he  might  order  them  himsellir;  the  crew  appeared  oa 
deck,  at  his  order.     Hp  took  away  fou'/  men  trom  me,  1  then  ap- 

Eliedjt6  the  Captain  of  the  Nautilus  to  release  my  men  ;  which 
e  refused  to  (id,  giving  no  reasons  fqv  detaining'them,  I  theii 
proeeeded  to  the  Governor  of  the  Islan'i,  and  acquainted  him  with 
the  cireiimslahces,  and  infpiined  that  I  must  lie  under  the  lie- 
eessity  of  entering  my  protest,  and  abandoning  my  vessel  to  tJi'e 
Colofly,  unless  1  could  obtain  my  men.  He  told  me  that  he 
W0UI4  write  to  the  Captain  upon*  the  subject,  and  that  my  mea 
•ho'ild  be  cleared :  Svhich  he  did  and  gave  me  the  letter,  Aher 
jceadiiig  *he  letter  he  said  he  would  comply  wiih  it  so  far  as  to 
deliye'i- "  :j  tferee  of  tfeeih ;  ,but,that  he  wouW  keep  &e  other  at  all 
events.  The  mai  \vhich,he  detained  was  named  John  Talpy,  a 
a  uativ'  of  f )ld-Vork,  in  Maine.  The  sloop  of  war  sailed  next 
day~-l  did  ['n</t]  hear  any  tjiing  of  Talpy  for  several  years  after- 
wanis:  none  vi  my  men  had  protections  at  that  time.*  The  Cap- 
tain did  /lot  pretend  that  Talpy  was  an  EhgHshman. 

LEMUEL  WALKER. 

&UFFQ..K,  s:>.'     Ffl:  xiidf  iSiS. 
Sworn  CO  before  me, 

Lemuel  Shaw,  J,  Peace, 


"^  [No.  #.] 

i%'e  Deposition  df  Enoch  J^REULte. 

...  5_>     ....  ;  ...     ..til 

r  llihoch  Freble  of  Portland,  depose  and  say — that  I  have  beeu 
i#&;?ter  of  a  vessel  about  seventeen  years.  1  have  never  had  any 
Men  iihpressed  that  were  not  delivered  up  on  application  ;  and  I 
always  applied  for  all  that  I  knevi^  to  be  Americans.  Wl:\ile 
Hvaisia     London,  iin  17^91,  two  of  my  meh  were  impri?ssed; 


^  ^f 

fj^t  xft^  IV  eiti?e»  of  tbe  United  St^tpi  5  tjif  otbpr  wa^  a  »«»%> 
native  of  Jamaica,  but  a  .citizen  of  the  U.  State?,  'they  ^ert 
both  released  the  next  day  after  their  impressment. 

in  one  instance  a  foreigner  was  taken  from  my  vessel,  in  179*. 
He  was  an  Englishman  that  I  shipped  at  Charleston,  felouth  Caro- 
lina. He  was  taken  from  me  in  the  Downs  ;  but  it  was  at  my 
•wn  instance,  as  he  was  a  very  troublesome  fellow,  and  I  was  de- 
sirous of  getting  rid  of  him. 

I  know  of  no  persons  that  have  ever  belonged  to  Portland  by  the 
name  of  John  Huddle,  William  Stoeker,  Ralph  Bryant,  John  Dy- 
tr,  or  Thomas  Flood. — John  Holmes  said  to  be  of  that  place,  has 
sailed  with  me  on  two  voyages,  and  has  told  me  that  he  was  an 
Englishman,  and  that  his  true  name  was  John  Brown  When  he 
sailed  with  me  it  was  in  the  year  1799,  or  1800,  and  I  have  nojt 
seen  hiir>  since,  to  my  recollection. 

■^  ENOCH  PBEBLEv 

Suffolk,  s$.     Feb.  ±9th,  1S13. 
Ilworn  to  before 
-  Jams^s  Savaqe,  •/.  Feace. 


[Nq.  49  ] 
The  Deposition  of  I^att^ew  ^bi©©^. 

I  Matthew  Bridge  of  Charlesjtowp,  in  th,e  sta^e  of  Massa^jr 
Iptts,  depose  and  say— thajt  i  h^ve  been  ej^gjaged  i^  con|mer^ 
and  navigation  for  five  and  twenty  years,  previous  to  tlie  eij^?^- 
go,  and  have  usually  employed,  on  an  average,  to  the  best  of  my 
recollection,  twenty  five  seamen  annually. 

I  recollect  one  instance  of  impressment  from  a  vessel  owned 
by  myself  and  Thos.  K,  Jones,  in  the  year  1811.  Jhe  y.ouflg 
man  was  a  native  of  Portsmouth,  in  New-Hampshire,  ?iji,i4  resid> 
fid  in  Boston,  with  liis  mother  5  his  narae  I  do  not  recollect  He 
had  a  protection  ;  but  notwithstanding,  was  taken  by  a  British 
gun  brig,  on  a  voyage  from  Russia  to  London.  Upon  applica- 
tion of  my  son  to*  the  consul  at  London,  he  was  discharged  when 
the  gun  brig  arrived  there.  My  caplain  at  the  time  told  the  Brit- 
ish officer,  that  the  young  man  was  a  Bostonian,  that  he  knew  his 
family,  &c.  but  it  was  without  etfi^et.  I  do  noit  recollect  any 
other  instance  from  any  of  my  vesselss. 

I  jtnow  of  one  other  instance  from  Charlestown,  the  case  of 
Mr. ^^ Hunt,  who  was  taken,  as  he  informed   me,   about 

^•-_l_i. ¥    ^'l.:^!.'  .      nn<1      «vtn<1u    Ilia    aCOIITtO.    nftoV  hoiTH*    tliril-. 

«^^  frc 'n  ship  to  ?hip,  frow  Plymouth  in  England.  He  was  under 
i^npr^fci;  .iuertt,  as  he  said,  about  six  years.  I  made  application  at 
thi^  Bp^n  .Custom-Honse,  jfor  jiocuments,  which  were  obtaine^l;, 
^i^whioh  hia  faUier  infornae*  me,  \ver»  gej?jt  outiorfcis  releaae. 


Sworn  before 

Benjamin  AVeld,  J,  Peace. 


[No.  49.] 

TJie  Deposition  of  John  Hewes,  alias  Hughes. 

I  John  Hewes  of  New-London,  in  the  State  of  Connecticut,  mar- 

in  hn/rH^r  T^  Iv^^^^^'^JV^'  ^'^'  *«««»  ^  entered  as' mate 
on  board  the  ship  Wilham,  of  iVew-Vork,  capt.  John  Stinipson, 
pa  a  voyage  to  Calcutta.  On  the  passage  to  Calcutta,  I  was 
impressed  by  the  frigate  Alexander,  anfdetained  on  bokrd  Tr 
three  months,  and  was  then  put  on  board  the  Exeter,  where  I 
remained  about  six  months—l  was  then  put  on  board  the  Hiber- 
nia,  where  I  remained  eleven  months-I  was  then  put  on  board 
the  frigate  Java  at  Portsmouth,  England.  When  I  was  impres- 
Bed  I  had  an  American  protection,  issued  by  the  collector,  Gen 
Lincoln,  at  Boston.  I  was  Boatswain's  mate  of  the  Java,  when 
she  was  captured  by  the  Constitution. 

When  the  Constitution  shew  American  colour*,  I  declared  mr 
•elf  an  American  and  would  not  fight  ;  I  was  then  putbeloM  dji 
ring  the  action.     I  was  received  on  boarr*  the  Constitution  as  a> 
American  prisoner  of  war,  and  returned  ,0  Boston  in  her. 

Attest,  Wm.  Sturgis.  ^      jqhN  i^HEWES. 

imivfc 
SfJFFOLK^  is.     Boston,  Feb.  20th,  1813. 

Sworn  to  before  me, 

James  Savage  J,  Peace^ 


*^lSi.f 


[No.  50.] 

Letter  of  Commodore  Bainbridge. 

K  S.  FHgate,  Constitution,  > 
Uoston  Harbor,  Feb.  2ist,  1813,  C 


In  answer^o  your  communication,  by  ,rder  of  the  commit 
♦ee,  relative  to  the  deposition  of  John  Hughes,  I  have  to  Tta^' 
that  he  was  received  on  board  the  fri^at^  rni,«f  f„f  ««  I 

the  erew  of  the  .hip  Willia,„  of  PortSnd  fTd    U  Vre"u  n. 
4.»bt»my»,i«d,thath.  ^,  actually  one  .IT  the  crew  of  tJJ 


/ 


i 


5* 

said  ghip  "Williara  ;  on  making    particular  enquiry  to  day  on 
board  luy  ship,  1  learn  for  the  first  time,  that  1  had  two  more 
men  of  the  Java's  crew,  than  1  stated  ,ye8terday  before  the  com- 
mittee, which  error  was  occasioned  by  a  young  lad,  (who  has  left 
the  Constitution)  by  the  name  of  S  lith,  passing  himself  as  one 
of  the  William's  crew,  when  by  evidence  obtained  to  day  I  first 
learnt  he  did  beiong  to  the  Java,  but  not  now  having  an  opportu- 
nity of  examining  him,  I  cannot  inform  whether  he  is  an  Ameri- 
can or  British  sailor.     1  have  also  learnt  this  day,  and  for  the 
first  tiwie,  that  another  man  by  the  name  of  Martin  Cane,  was 
actually  one  of  (he  Java's  crew,  received  on  board  the  Constitu-^ 
tion  and  confined  as  such ;  but  on  the  prisoners  going  on  shore, 
declaring  himself  positively  to  be  an  American,  the  officers  per- 
mitted him  to  remain  on  board  of  the  Constitution  (1  was  then 
confined  to  my  cott  by  my  wounds)  and  always  considered  him 
until  to   day  as  one  of  the  AVilliam's  crew.     The  confession  of 
Cane  to  day,  proves  him  to  be  born  in  Ireland,  and  that  he  never 
was  in  the  United  States  until  his  present  arrival.     This  Martin 
Cane,  and  Freeman,   (the  black  man  of  the  Java's  crew)  both 
declare  that  Hughes  did  not  belong  to  her. 

Having  been  called  by  authority  before  your  committee,  and 
there  gave  a  deposition,  which  may  not  appear  perfectly  clear, 
without  this  explanation,  is  the  only  motive  of  my  being  so 
minute. 

Very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

WM.  BAINBRIDGB. 
John  Pickering,  Esq, 


[No.  51.] 
The  Deposition  of  Barnabas  Hedge,  Jr. 


•fi 


I  Barnabas  Hedge,  jr.  of  Plymouth,  in  the  county  of  Plymouth, 
depose  and  say — that  I  have  been  concerned  in  Commerce  and. 
Navigation  about  twenty  four  years — and  1  have  employed  aboift 
sixty  seamen  annually,  for  fifteen  years  past,  except  the  two  last 
years — for  which  two  years  I  have  employed  about  twenty  sea- 
men annually. 

I  have  never  had  any  seaman  impressed  from  any  vessel  in 

which  I  have  been  concerned,  except  in  one  instance— that  was 
*!,_  -..««  «-P  n^-^^i.^^   /'k^:^     *..     ~. 4^: ^i    i^  xi. _     j '^-  /. 

ISJC  KBiTsx:  ui    xsa.i  iisxistzs    v?Li3,    ji.     .-:ic:iiiiuiicu    Hi  iiSf     «iepuglll0n    01 

\Vm.  Davis. — Nathaniel  Kempton,  who  is  stated  in  the  retura 

of  impressed  seamen,  to  have  been  impressed  and  discharged 

was,  as  he  told  me,  in  the  British  service. — I  did  not  understand, 
from  him  that  he  was  impressed ;  but  my  impression  was,  and  is, 
that  he  had  entered. — Within  the  past  year  he  agreed  to  go  in  a 
ressel  of  mine — but  just;  before  she  sailed,  he  came  to  me  and 


n 


formerly 


liegged  tq  bt  relcasfd^  ff  |>p  wap  mfr  m^!  ^^  gd  |,|  ,^a 

piderec}  himspif  belqugiiis  to  t|ie  Briiis.     c    ,ipe,  Iut] 
fpt^red. 

AbQut  nve  years  siijcp,  Thpin^i.  *?  -ins,  ^  native  ofPIy- 
jiouth,  wag  on  bpard  pne  pf  my  ve^se^.  ,4  ftilp  in  port  in  Endand, 
he  with  an  Englishman,  who  wa?  of  the  prew,  and  who  also  had 
#n  American  protection,  run  away  from  my  vessel  and  entereil 
#bo^rd  an  English  apned  vessel,  and  H»  not  returned  sintp. 

I  knqw  pl>Q  other  ^^g  <>f  impressment  from  the  town  of  Fiji, 
pouth.  , 

StufFOLK^  ss.  Feb,  Wh,  18^3.  ^ 

Sworn  to  before 


i 


[No.  52.] 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Silas  Talbot,  Esq.  Mgentfor 
impressed  seamen,  in  the  West  Indies,  to  the  secre- 
tary of  state,  dated  Kingston,  Jamaica.  Becemher 
IS,  1797. 

"While  I  reflect,  sir,  with  pleasure  on  the  check  that  is 
put  to  impressing  our  seamen,  and  the  total  discharge  of  all 
that  were  formerly  on  board  admiral  Harvey's  division  to  Wind- 
ward, yet  I  feel  great  anxiety  for  those  impressed  a  long  time 
smce,  and  who  are  stiil  detained  on  board  ships  of  war  that 
compose  admiral  Parker's  squadron  on  this  station,  more  espe- 
cially, as  there  is  not  any  appearance  ot  probability  of  their  be- 
ing released  so  long  as  admiral  Parker  has  the  command  in 
these  seas.  If  Sir  H"de  should  be  ordered  off  from  this  station, 
and  the  command  devolve  upon  admiral  Bligh,  I  have  reason  to 
«^xpcct,  that  in  such  case,  perfec:  justice  would  be  done  to  our 
xepreseptations  on  the  subject  in  question. 

«  Nor  is  it  less  distressing  when  we  contemplate  the  hard- 
ship, the  cruel  and  inhuman  manner  our  seamen  are  frequently 
treated  by  the  French.  Every  little  while,  some  of  those  of  our 
unfortunate  men  are  coming  in,  like  straggling  soldiers  after 
^  battle  and  defeat,  some  of  whom,  when  taken,  are  stripped 
naked,  drubbed^,  and  then  put  into  a  small  boat  to  make  the 
Siiore  c-r  perish  m  the  sea  j  and  some  are  retaken  by  British 
ships  and  brought  in  ;  others  make  their  escape  by  one  mean 
or  another ;  but,  in  all  cases,  they  are  miserably  poor,  both  in 
fiirse  an  appearance.*' 

(Signed)  SILAS  TALBOT. 


ii 


n 

[No.  5^.] 

Mxtractnpom  Prench  taws  and  drdinanem* 

See  the  TRAHsLAtioss^jK^e  76. 

1.  Fevrler,)  1650.  .  . 

'^Faisom  en  outre  defenses  tres-expr esses,  suivant  nos  httm 
patentes  du  7  Septemhre,  dernier  et  ordonnances  du  8  ^^'i^rf  7, 
iussi  dernier,  a  tons  capitaines  de  murine  nos  sujets,  doriunlieset 
non  domiciUes  en  notre  roy  uime  et  pays  de  notre  obeissance,de 
ttrendre  cimmission  d'aucuns  nti,  princes  eu  repuhliques  etrangers 
ni  arborer  autre  ban7iiere  que  la  notre  pour  f aire  la  guerte  ;  et  con- 
We  les  dits  capitaines  nos  sujets,  quHl  leur  soit  couru  sms  par  nm 
mvitaims,  gardes-cotes,  et  autres  nos  sujets  ;  voulant  aussi  que  leurs 
jjoces  Mr  soit  fait  et  pdrftvvt  coinme  pirates,  jusqu'  a  ietUence  de- 
jtnitive  iitclusii^einentJ'^ 

5.  *9tmf,  1676. 
«  Le  roi  dtant  en  son  coriseil,  s'etantfait  representer  sa  declara- 
Hon  du  20  Fevrier,  1667,  et  son  Hit  du  mois  d'Aout  1669,  par  les- 
miels  S  M.  auroit  enjoint  a  tous  ses  sujets  etant  an  service  deq 
Irinces  et  etats  etrangers,  de  se  retirer  dans  son  roymme  dans  les 
Urmes  partes  par  tesdits  edit  et  declaration,  (i  peine  de  lit  me  ; — - 

.^ etd'autant  due  S.  M.  estime  qu'en  modijidnt  c,u  commuant  la 

mine  de  mort  portee  par  tesdits  edit  et  declaration,  en  celle^es  go- 
lerei  perpetueUes,  elle  en  tlreroit  une  augmentation  pour  la  chiounm 

de    ses    '"aleres  ; S.  M.  Hunt  en  son  conseil,  en  modijiant  et 

ehano'eant  ladite  peine  de  inort,  A  ordonne  et  ordonne  qu'aujour  de 

la  publication  du  present  arret tous  les  Frangois  qui  seront 

«m  mr  les  vaissea^ix  etrangers  (jui  seront  juges  appartemr  aux 
ennemis  de  8.  M.  seront  const  it  uesprisonmers et  lesdits  Fran- 
cois condamnes  aux  gaUres  perpetueUes,^^  8^'c, 

23.  Juillet,  1704-. 
«  On  n'aura  aucun  egard  aux  passeports  accordes  par  les  princ- 
es ne.utr'^s,  taut  aiix  proprietnires  qu'auxmaitres  des  vaissecmx  su- 
jets des  4! (its  ennems  de  S.  M  sHls  n'ont  ete  naturalises  ein'ont 
iransfere  leur  domicile  dans  les  etats  des  princes  neutres,  avant  la 
declaration  de  la  p-esente  s;uerre  ;  au^uel  cas  meme  its  ne  pourrotd 
jouir  de  Veffet  des  lettres  de  naturalite,  si  depuis  qiC elle sont  eta  ob- 
tenues  ils  sont  retonmes  dans  lesdits  etats  ennemis  de  S.  M  poun 
y  continuer  leur  commerce,^^ 

31  Octohre,  ITS*. 
«  /^s  gms  de  'iner  classes  qui,  en  temps  de  paix,  auront  ete  trouv^ 
si>rvnnt  sur  des  naxsires  etrangers  sans  permission  seront  condamn- 
h  a  quinze  jours  de  prisons,  rediiits  n  la  plus  basse  paye,  et  »ervir- 
•n*  extraordinairement  pendant  deux  ans  a  la  moitie  de  la  dtte. 
hasse  paye  ;  U  mtx  quit  «n  tmnps  de  guerre  seront  arretds  sur  de^ 


i 


w 


navires  etrangerR  ou  passant  en  pays  etranger  seront  ooadamnis  a 
trms  ans  de  j^aleres.^^ 

''Les  chep  des  classes  et  les  commUsaires  fermU  faire  la  recher- 
che des  deserteurs  des  mvires  marchands les  feront  arreter,  et 

les  renieftrort  au,v  offiders  des  amlrautes  ;  Us  leur  derwnceront 
pareiUement  ceujp  des  gens  classes  qui  auront  passe  en  paus  etrans- 
er,  et  qui  auront  pu  etre  arrefeSf'^  ^c.  r  y  '^ 

8.  Friinaire,  an  3. 
".{,  ^Jf^J»^fi\dans  le  mois  qui  suivra  la  publication  du  present 
arrete,a  tous  capitaines  de  vaisseaux  neutralises,  de  jusfifier,  par 
I  attache  du  mmistre  de  leur  nation  mpres  du  gmivernement  Fra«- 
Qois,  qu  lis  sont  ni^s,  ainsi  que  les  propHetaires  des  vaisseaiur  qwils 
commmient,  si  ces  vaisseawK  ne  leur  appartiennent  pas  a  eux-me- 
mes,  drns  un  pays  aUie  ou  neutre  de  L  Repuhlique  Francoise,  sous 

peine  d'etre  prwPs  de  rentree  des  ports  Francois  et  d'etre  traites 
oomme  espions.''  See. 

8.  Vcntose,  an  5. 
Tous  les  mntelots  Jlno:lois  qui  se  trouveront  sur  hdtimens  new 
tres  dans  les  ports  de  la  Ropiiblique  seront  mis  en  etai  d'arrestation, 
4t  dPteuus  jusqu'  a  ce  quHl  en  soil  autrement  ordonne.  Seront,  d 
eet  ^gard,  reputes  Jnglois  tous  matelots  parlant  la  langue  Mgloise, 
et  ne  seront  e.vceptes  que  cewr  qui  prouveront  par  piices  authentic 
ques  quhls  sont  dmericainsy 

8  Brumaire,  an  7. 

*"  Tout  individu  natifo^  originaire  des  pays  amis  aUips  d^  la 

Uepubliqm  Fran^mse,  ou  neutres,  porteur  d'une  commission  donnee 

par  les  ennemis  de  la  France,  ou  faisant  parfie  des  equipa'-es  des 

batumus  de  ^^(f,rre,  et  autres.  ennemis,  sera  par  ce  seul  fait  declare 

,pirateettraitecommetel,'' Sfc.  '' 

Translations  of  the  foregoing  French  Orilnances. 

FEBRUAR-k     1,     1650. 

*'  We  likewise,  ap^reeably  to  our  letters  patent  of  the  rth 
beptembcr  laiit,  and  our  ordinances  of  tiie  8th  December  last, 
tbrbid  in  the  strictest  manner,  all  our  captains,  beir.j?  our  sub- 
jects, whether  they  have  their  domicile,  or  not  in  our  kin^dum 
and  the  countries  under  our  allegiance,  from  taking:  commis- 
sions  of  any  foreign  kings,  princes,  or  republicks,  and  from  us- 
sing  any  other  flag  than  ours  in  war ;  and  we  order  that  said  cap- 
tains, being  our  subjects,  shall  be  seized  by  our  captains,  out 
guard-coasts,  and  all  other  our  subjects,  and  that  proceedings 
shall  be  had  against  them  as  pirates,  unto  final  judgment,  inclu- 
sively." J      S»  1 


n 


AUGUST  5,   1676. 

«  The  king,  in  council,  having  seen  his  declaration  of  the 
20th  February,  1667,  and  bis  edict  of  the  month  of  August, 
1669,  whereby  his  Majesty  had  required  alJ  his  subjects  who 
were  in  the  service  of  foreign  princes  and  states,  to  return  to 
his  kingdom,  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  <aid  edict  and  dec^ 
lara;ion,  upon  forfeiture  of  their  lives— and  whereas  his  Majes- 
ty is  of  opinion,  that,  by  modifying  or  commuting  the  punish- 
ment of  death,  which  is  inflicted  by  said  edict  and  declaration, 
for  that  of  service  during  life  in  the  gallies,  he  would  be  enabled  to 
increase  tho  crews  of  his  gallies— His  Majesty,  in  council,  having 
modified  and  changed  the  said  punishment  of  death,  has  ordained, 
and  ordains,  that  from  the  day  of  the  publication  of  this  pres- 
ent decree all  Frenchmen,  who  shall  be  taken  in  foreign 

vessels,  that  shall  be  adjudged  to  belong  to  the  enemies  of  his 
Majesty,  shall  be  held  as  prisoners and  the  said  French- 
men shall  be  condemned  to  the  gallies  for  life,"  Skc. 

lULY  S3,  1704.     . 

«  No  regard  shall  be  had  to  passports  granted  by  neutral 
princes,  either  to  the  owners  or  masters  of  vessels  belonging 
to  states  at  enmity  with  his  Majesty,  if  they  have  not  been  natur- 
alized, and  had  not  transferred  their  domicil  to  the  states  ot 
the  neutral  princes  before  the  declaration  of  the  present 
war  ;  and  even  in  this  case,  they  shall  not  enjoy  the  benefit  ot 
their  letters  of  naturalization,  if,  after  obtaining  them,  they  shall 
have  returned  to  the  said  states  at  enmity  with  his  Majesty  m 
order  there  to  continue  their  commercial  affairs.'* 

OCTOBER  31,   1784. 

J  The  classed  seamen,  Who  in  time  of  peace  shall  be  found 
serving  in  foreign  ships,  without  permission,  shall  be  condemn- 
ed to  fifteen  days'  imprisonment,  and  rated  at  the  lowest  wages, 
and  shall  serve  moreover  for  two  years  for  the  half  of  such  low- 
est wages  ;  and  those  who  in  time  of  war  shall  be  taken  m  for- 
eign ships,  or  going  into  foreign  countries,  shall  be  condemned 
to  three  years'  service  in  the  gallies. 

«  The  heads  of  the  classes  and  the  commissaries  shall  cause 
search  to  be  made  for  deserters  from  merchant  ships  ....  shall 
cause  them  to  be  arrested,  and  send  them  to  the  officers  of  the 
tHmiralty  ;  they  shall  in  like  manner  give  information  ot  such 
S'the  classed  seamen  as  shall  have  passed  into  foreign  coun- 
tries, and  who  may  be  arrested,"  &,c. 


11 


VRIMAIRE    S,    AN    5.      [a.   D.    1797.] 

"  In  one  month  from  the  publication  of  the  present  decree, 
all  captains  of  neutral  vessels  are  required  to  prove,  by  the  cer- 
tificate of  the  minister  of  their  nation  residing  with  the  French 
Government,  that  they,  as  well  as  the  owners  of  the  vessels 
which  they  command,  (if  the  vessels  do  not  belong  to  them- 
selves) were  born  in  a  country,  either  in  alliance  with  the  French 
republick,  or  neutral ;  under  the  penalty  of  being  deprived  of 
an  entry  in  French  ports,  and  treated  as  spies." 

VENTOSE    8,   AN    6.    [a.    D.    1799.] 

"  All  English  sailors  who  shall  be  found  on  board  neutral 
vessels  in  the  ports  of  the  republick,  shall  be  put  under  arrest, 
and  detained  until  further  orders — and  all  sailors  who  speak  the 
English  language,  shall  in  this  respect,  be  reputed  Englishmen, 
and  none  shall  be  exempted  but  such  as  shall  prove  by  authen- 
ttck  documents,  that  they  are  Americans.'' 

BRUMAIRE    8,    AN    7.    [a.    D.    1799.] 

"  Every  individual,  being  a  native,  or  originating  in  coun- 
tries in  amity  with,  or  allies  of  the  French  republick,  or  nt^u- 
trals,  who  shall  hold  a  commission  granted  by  the  enemies  of 
Fr-^nce,  or  shall  make  "part  of  the  crews  of  vessels  of  war,  and 
others,  being  enemies,  shall,  for  that  alone,  be  declared  a  pirate, 
and  treated  as  such." 


[N 


o.  54*.  1 


Mxtracts  of  a  letter  f  rum  Messrs,  Monvoe  and  Pink" 
%ey,  to  the  Secretary  f'^tate^  dated  Sept.  11;  1806. 

«  ly  the  course  of  thts  conference ,  lord  Auckland  renewed 
a  proposal,  which  he  had  gU  iiced  a.,  in  our  first  interview,  that 
the  treaty  of  1794,  should  be  ma'^'^  the  basis  of  the  present  ne- 
jjotiation." 

"On  the  imprec*sttent  aiibject,  it  w»8  soon  apparcut  that  th^y 
fthe  British  ministers]  felt  the  ^fongest  repugnance  to  a  fof* 
mal  renunciation  or  abuudoririent  of  their  claim)  to  take  ii  om 
our  vessels  on  th-s  high  seas,  such  seamen  as  should  appear  *.o 
be  their  own  subjects  ;  and  they  pressed  upon  us,  wit!  much 
zeal,  as  a  substitute  for  such  an  abandonment,  a  provision  that  th  ?- 
persons  composing  the  crews  of  our  ahips  ahoiiid  be  ft^rnishcu 


I) 


79 

with  authentick  documents  of  citizenship,  the  natui'c  and  form 
of  wUich  should  be  settled  by  treaty  j  that  these  documents 
should  completely  protect  those  to  whom  they  related  ;  but,  that 
subject  to  such  protections,  the  ships  of  war  of  Great  Britain 
should  continue  to  visit  and  impress  on  the  main  ocean  as  here- 
tofore." 


[No.  '^5.] 

JEsctract  f'^om  Meases.  Monroe  mi  Finlcneifs  let- 
ter to  the  Secretary  qfstate^  Sept*  11, 1806,  atLon^ 
don. 

<*  TjtfE  temper  which  the  British  commissioners  have  obvi- 
ously brought  to  the  negotiation  corresponding  with  that  which 
has  been  manifested  towards  the  mission  by  those  who  hold  of- 
ficial stations  here,  as  well  as  by  the  publick  in  general,  is  as 
friendly  and  respectful  to  our  government  and  country  as  coulcl 
be  desired." 


[No.  ao.] 

Agreement  of  the  British  Commissioners  respecting^ 

Impressments, 

Holland  House,  Nov.  8,  1806. 

His  majesty'  i  commissioners  and  plenipotentiaries;  have 
the  honour  to  represent  to  the  commissioners  and  plenipoten- 
tiaries of  the  United  States  ; 

That  the  project  of  an  article  on  the  rubject  of  impressing 
seamen,  together  with  the  reasonings,  by  which  the  commis- 
sioners of  the  United  States  have  urged  the  expediency  of  an 
arrangement  on  that  subject,  has  been  laid  before  his  majesty's 
^•overnment,  and  has  been  considered  with  the  same  friendly 
and  conciliatory  disposition,  which  has  marked  every  step  of 
the  negotiation. 

That  his  majesty's  governmert  has  not  felt  itself  prepared  to 
i^jpplaim,  or  derogate  :>om,  a  right  which  has  ever  be<^n  uni- 
formly and  general'  maintained,  and  i  i  the  exercise  of  which, 
the  security  ofth  British  navy  may  be  Co  entif^lly  involved; 
more  especially  in  *  ct  ijuncture  when  hi  majesty  is  engaged 
in  wars,  which  enforce  .  .e  necessity  of  the  jst  vigilant  atten- 
tion to  the  preservfcvijn  and  supply  of  the  naval  foice  of  his 
kingdom. 


■I 


80 


f  ,  f 


That  his  majesty's  government,  animated  by  an  earnest  de- 
sire to  remove  every  cause  of  dissatisfaction,  has  directed  his 
majest»;*s  commissioners  to  give  to  Mr.  Munroe  and  to  Mr. 
Pinkne'y,  the  most  positive  assurances  that  instructions  have 
been  given  and  shall  be  repeated  and  enforced,  for  the  observ- 
ance of  the  greatest  caution  in  the  impressing  of  British  sea- 
men ;  and  that  the  strictest  care  shall  be  taken  to  preserve  the 
citizens  of  the  United  States  from  any  molestation,  or  injury; 
and  that  immediate  and  prompt  redress  shall  be  afforded  upon 
any  representation  of  injury  sustained  by  them. 

That  the  commissioners  of  the  United  States  well  know  that 
no  recent  causes  of  complaint  have  occurred,  and  thai  no  prob- 
able inconvenience  can  result  from  the  postponement  of  an  arti- 
cle subject  to  so  many  difficulties.  Still,  that  his  majesty's  com- 
missioners are  instructed  to  entertain  the  discussion  of  any  plan 
that  can  be  devised  to  secure  the  interests  of  both  states,  with- 
out any  injury  to  rights  to  which  they  are  respectively  attached. 

That  in  the  mean  time  the  desire  of  promoting  a  right  con- 
clusion of  the  proposed  treaty,  and  of  drawing  closer  the  ties  of 
connexion  between  the  two  countries,  induces  his  majesty's  com^ 
missioners  to  express  their  readiness  to  proceed  to  the  comple- 
tion of  the  other  articles,  in  the  confident  hope,  that  the  result 
cannot  fail,  to  cultivate  and  confirm  the  good  understanding  hap- 
pily subsisting  between  the  high  contracting  parties,  and  still 
fuUher  to  augment  the  mutual  prosperity  of  his  majesty's  sub- 
iects,  and  of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States. 

(Signed)        VASSAL  HOLLAND. 
AUCKLAND. 

To  James  Monuoe  Esq.  and  William  Pinckney  Esq. 


[Kc.  67.'] 

Extract  of  a  letter,  dated  London,  JVou.  11,  imQ,fvom 
Messrs,  Moutoq  and  Finckneij  to  James  Madison, 
Secretary  of  state, 

"  On  the  9th  instant,  we  received  from  the  r»ritish  commls- 
aioners  the  note  which  they  had  promised  us  in  the  last  interview, 
which  we  have  found  to  correspond  iu  all  rtspects  with  what  >ve 
had  been  taught  to  expect.  We  have  aho  weighed  with  dlie 
consideration  the  great  question  which  is  propounded  by  ft,  and 
aio  decidedly  f  opinion  that  it  is  our  duty  lo  proceed  to  the 
other  object?  the  negotiation,  leaving  that  of  impressment  on 
the  ground  on  which  it  will  be  placed  by  this  note  and  our  act- 
ing on  it.    Many  strong  reasons  favour  this  course,  while  none 


^ 


81 


i 


occur  to  us  of  any  weight  against  it.    When  we  take  into  view 
all  that  hasi  passed  on  this  subject,  we  are  far  from   considering 
the  note  of  the  British  commissioners  as  a  mere   circumstance 
of  form.     We  persuade  ourselves  that  by  accepting  the   invita- 
tion which  it  gives,  and  proceeding  in  the  negotiation,  we  shall 
place  the  business  almost,  if  not  altogether,  on  as  good  a  footing, 
as  we  should  have  done  by  treaty,  had  the  project  which  we  of- 
fered thenj  been  adopted.     The  time  at   which  this  note   was 
presenied  to  us,  and  the  circumstances  under  which  it  was  pre- 
sented, being  when  the  negotiation  was  absolutely  at  a  stand  on 
this  very  question,  and  we  had  informed   the   British  comniis- 
sioners  that  we  could  do  nothing,  if  it  was  not  provided  for,  give 
the  act  a  peculiar  degree  of  solemnity  and  obligation.     It  was 
sent  to  us  as  a  publick  paper,  and  intended   that  we   should  so 
consider  it,  and  with  the  knowledge  and  approbation  of  the  cab- 
inet.    It  ought  therefore,  to  be  held  as  obligatory  on  the   gov- 
ernment, in  its  just  import,  as  if  the   substance   had  been 
stipulated  in  a  treaty.     It  is  just  also  to  give  it  a  liberal  con- 
struction in  favour  of  the  United  States,  in  consideration  that  it 
is  the  act  of  the  British  government.     In  that  view  it  merits  at- 
tention, that  every  thing  is  expressed  in  it  that  could  be   desir- 
ed, except  the  relinquishment  of  the  principle  :  that  in   speak- 
ing of  impressments,  the  exercise  of  that  act  on  the  higlf  seas  is 
not  mentioned,  an  omission  which  we  know  to  have  been  inten- 
tional.    From  a  full  view  of  all  these  circumstances  we  think  it 
fair  to  infer,  that  this  government  intends  to  conform  its  con- 
duct in  future  to  the  just  claims  of  the  United  States,  on  this 
great  interest,  while  by  particular  motives  of  policy,  it  deems  it 
improper  tp  relinquish  a  claim,  especially  at  this  time,  which  has 
been  long  sustained  and  acted  on   by  it,   and   which  has   been 
heretofore  strongly  supported  by  the  national  feeling,  or  more 
properly  speaking,  prejudice." 


[No.    58.] 

Extracts  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Monroe  to  Mr.  Madi- 
son dated  Richmond,  Feb.  %Sy  1808. 

"  The  impressment  of  seamen  from  our  merchant  vessels, 
is  a  topick  which  claims  a  primary  attention,  from  the  order 
which  it  holds  in  your  letter,  but  more  especially,  from  some 
important  considerations  that  are  connected  with  it.  The  idea 
entertained  by  the  publick  is,  that  the  rights  of  the  United  States 
were  abandoned  by  the  American  commissioners  in  the  late  ne- 
gotiation, and  that  their  seamen  were  left  by  tacit  acquiescence, 
if  not  by  formal  renunciation,  to  depend  for  their  safety  on  the 
mercy  of  the  British  cruizers*     I  have  on  the  contrary,  always 


8^ 


Ht 


h 


believed,  and  still  do  believe,  that  the  ground  on  which  that  in- 
terest was  placed  by  the  paper  of  the  British  commissioners,  of 
Nov.  8.  1806,  and  the  explanations  which  accompanied  it,  was 
both  honourable  and  advantageous  to  the  United  States ;  that  It 
contained  a  concession  in  their  favour,  on  the  part  of  Great- 
Britain,  on  the  great  principle  in  contestation,  never  before 
made  by  a  formal  and  obligatory  act  of  the  government,  which 
was  hignly  favourable  to  their  interest ;  and  that  i^  also  impo- 
sed on  her  the  obligation  to  conform  her  practice  under  it,  till 
a  more  complete  arrangement  should  be  concluded,  to  the  just 
claims  of  the  United  States. 

"  By  this  paper  it  is  evident  that  the  rights  of  the  United 
States  were  expressly  to  be  reserved,  and  not  abandoned,  as  haB 
been  most  erroneously  supposed;  that  the  negotiation  on  the 
subject  of  impressment  was  to  be  postponed  for  a  limited  time, 
and  for  a  special  object  only,  and  to  be  revived  as  soon  as  that 
object  was  accomplished  ;  and,  in  the  interim,  that  the  prac- 
tice of  impressment  was  to  correspond  essentially  with  the  views 
and  interests  of  the  United  States.  * 

"  In  calling  your  attention  to  the  passage  which  treats  of  im- 
pressment, in  reference  to  the  practice  which  should  be  observ- 
ed in  future,  we  remarked  that  the  terms  "  high  seas"  were  not 
mentioiied  in  it,  and  added  that  we  knew  that  the  omission  had 
been  intentional.  It  was  impossible  that  those  terms  could 
Jiave  been  omitted  intentionally  with  oiir  knowledge,  for  any  pur- 
pose other  |.han  to  admit  a  construction  that  it  was  intended  that 
impressments  should  be  confined  to  land. 

**  I  do  not  mean  to  imply  that  it  was  understood  between  the 
JJritish  coramissioners  and  us,  that  Great-Britain  should  aban- 
<don  the  practice  of  impressment  on  the  high  seas  altogether.  I 
mean,  however,  distinctly  to  state,  that  it  was  understood  that' 
the  practice  heretofore  pursued  by  her  should  be  abandoned, 
;and  that  no  impressment  should  be  made  on  the  high  seas,  un- 
der the  obligation  of  that  paper,  except  in  cases  of  an  extraor- 
dinary nature,  to  which  no  general  prohibition  against  it  could 
be  construed  fairly  to  extend.  The  cases  to  which  I  allude 
Aveie  describcdin  our  letter  of  November  1 1th.  They  suppose 
a  British  ship  of  war  and  a  merchant  vessel  of  the  United  States, 
lying  in  the  Tagus  oi  some  other  port,  the  desertion  of  some  of 
the  sailors  from  the  ship  of  war  to  the  merchant  vessel,  and  the 
sailing  of  the  latter  with  such  deserters  on  board,  they  being 
British  subjects.  It  was  admitted  that  no  general  prohibition 
against  impressment  could  be  construed  to  sanction  such  cases 
o'linju^stice  and  fraud ;  and  to  such  cases  it  was  understood 
thit  the  practi!  e  should  in  future  be  confincdi 

"  That  an  informal  understanding  was  an  admissible  mode  of 
arranging  this  interest  with  Great-Britain,  is  made  sufficiently 
evident  by  your  letter  of  Feb.  3,  1807,  in  reply  to  ours  of  Nov. 
I  ith,  of  the  preceding  year. 


U 


83 


1%: 


«  fVe  ViTcre  tKerefore,  decidedly  of  opinion  that  the  paper  of* 
the  British  commissioners  placed  the  interest  of  impressment 
on  ground  which  it  was  both  safe  and  honourable  for  the  United 
States  to  admit :  that  in  short  it  gave  their  government  the 
command  of  the  subjectfor  every  necessary  and  useful  purpose. 
Attached  to  the  treaty  it  v/as  the  basis  or  condition,  on  which 
the  treaty  rested.  Strong  in  its  character  in  their  favour  on  the 
great  question  of  right,  and  admitting  a  favourable  construc- 
tion on  others,  it  placed  them  on  more  elevated  ground  in  those 
respects  than  they  had  helc'  before  ;  and  by  keeping  the  nego- 
tiation open  to  obtain  a  more  complete  adjustment,  the  admin- 
istration was  armed  with  the  most  effectual  means  of  securing  it. 

"  When  I  took  into  view  the  prosperous  and  happy  condition  of 
the  United  States,  compared  with  that  of  other  nations  ;  that  as 
a  neutral  power,  they  were  almost  the  exclusive  carriers  of  the 
productions  of  the  whole  world  ;  and  that  in  commerce  they 
flourished  beyond  example,  notwithstanding  the  losses  which 
they  occasiolially  suffe^d,  I  was  strong  in  the  opinion  that  those 
blessings  ought  not  to  ue  hazarded  in  such  a  question.  Many 
other  coi)sidei*&tions  tended  to  confirm  me  in  that  sentiment.  I 
knew  that  the  United  States  "were  not  prepared  for  war  ;  that 
their  coa**;  was  unfortifiej,  and  their  cities  in  a  |;reat  measure 
defAicele^iS  ;  that  their  militir,,  in  many  of  the  ajtates,  was  nei- 
ther armed  nor  trained  ;  and  that  their  whole  revenue  was  de- 
rived from  commerce.  I  could  not  presume  that  there  w^as  just 
©ause  to  doubt  which  of  the  alternatives  ought  to  be  preferred." 


ii 


H 


%^  [No.  59.] 

Extract  of  a  letter,  front  Mr,  Monroe,  Secretarij  of 
state,  to  Mr,  Foster,  dated  July  ^^,  1811. 

"  The  President  hai  received,  with  great  satisfaction,  the 
communication,  that  should  the  orders  in  council  of  1807,  be 
revoked,  the  blockade  of  May  of  the  preceding  year,  would 
cease  with  t^hem,  and  that  any  blockade,  which  should  be  after- 
w^ards  instituted,  should  be  duly  notified  and  maintained  by  an 
adequate  force.  This  frank  and  explicit  declaration,  worthy  of 
the  prompt  and  amicable  measure  adopted  by  the  Prince  Re- 
gent, in  coming  into  power,  seems  to  remove  a  material  obsta- 
cle to  an  accommodation  of  differences  between  our  countries  ; 
and  when  followed  by  the  revocation  of  the  orders  in  council  will, 
as  I  am  authorized  to  inform  you,  produce  an  immediate  termina- 
tion of  the  non-importatior  law,  by  an  exercise  of  the  power 
Tested  in  the  president  far  that  purpose." 


84 


-»:.. 


[No.  60.]  / 

JSuctrak  of  a  letter  from  Mr,  Foster  to  Mr'  Mmroef 

dated  June  i,  1813. 

"  I  HAVE  it  in  charge  to  repeat  to  you,  sir,  for  the  informa- 
tion of  /our  government,  that  the  government  of  his  Royal 
Highness  the  Prince  Regent  will  continue  to  give  the  most  pos- 
itive orr'f^rs  against  the  detention  oi  American  citizens  on  board 
his  Majesty's  ships  ;  and  that  no  difficulties,  beyond  what  are 
requisite  for  clearly  ascertaining  the  national  character  of  indi- 
viduals, x;hose  cases  are  brought  before  the  lords  commission- 
ers of  the  a^isiiralty,  will  be  interposed,  to  prevent  or  delay  their 
immediate  discharge." 


'■>*. 


After  th  J  JQlocuments  were  put  to  press,  the  dcpositioHB  of 

Col.  John  Thomas  and  Thos.  H.  Tobey,  Esq's.  (Nos,  25  and  39) 

Jjeing  found  to  be  without  the  certificates  of  the   magistrate, 

measures  wore  immediately  taken  to  obtain  them  j  but  they 

could  not  be  had  in  season  to  be  annexed.  ^ 

To  the  list  of  witnesses  mentioned  on  thelast  page  of  the  re- 

f^prt  as  having  been  summoned^  should ^ejadded  the  names  o^ 

Jdhn  Doakj  and  Jere?niah  Lee^  wHo  could  not  .be;  found  by  the 

^^jofficer.  ^    -K* 


jao. 


#■ 


W 


PICKERING, 

CHairman  of  the  Committer 


.f* 


*j 


BRRATVMi^ 


Pa^;e  9, in  the  Report,  /fne  17,  for  formeil  read  foaili 


mm: 


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ard 

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hey 

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re- 

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a  of     *' 

this      • 

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— ^J 


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